


It's Cool, Cause We're Just Friends

by Ksmarvelbunch



Category: American (US) Actor RPF, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Actor Chris Evans, Childhood Friends, Cutesy, Easy Read, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Feel-good, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Happy Ending, I understood that Reference, Language, Light-Hearted, Minor Original Character(s), My First Fanfic, No Angst, Original Character(s), Sexual Humor, Siblings, Slice of Life, Slow Romance, Work In Progress, funny moments, hopefully you’ll get invested, multi-chapter, romcom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 07:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 32,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18774124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ksmarvelbunch/pseuds/Ksmarvelbunch
Summary: Paige Harrison shared a childhood with one of the most famous actors of the decade. Through a laundry list of memories and little moments, she's here to set the record straight and show the world what it's really like when an average Boston girl's life intertwines with her celebrity best friend's, Chris Evans.





	1. Prologue-Allow Me to Introduce Myself

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, my dudes! This is my first published fanfic, so please (for the love of GOD) go easy on me lol. I'm still trying to figure out how this site works, and while the idea behind this fic is kinda cliché, I'm hoping my writing style gives you something a little different and sparks an interest. I have NO CLUE where this is going to go, but I'm VERY excited for whatever's to come! Let's go on this journey together.  
> \- K xx

Hi, I'm Paige Harrison and my best friend’s a movie star. I bet you don’t hear that too often, do you? This probably sounds like the beginning of a Netflix romcom starring up and coming actor Bob No-Name, or a "don't let your mother check your Internet history", “rated M for mature" fanfiction, but no, this is just my life. In actual fact, my best friend is none other than celebrity superhero Christopher Robert Evans. Captain America? Ring any bells? If you don't know the name, I can garantee you know the face. Beautiful blue eyes and a jawline that could cut a well-done steak? Yep. That guy.

To make a long and fairly complicated story short, my grandparents grew up with his grandparents, and his parents grew up with mine, so I guess you could say our friendship is practically one for the ages; timeless as ever. Still not entirely convinced? We’re talkin' big family picnics in the summertime with relatives we didn’t even know we had, parties for pointless holidays (I always like to reminisce about the one year my parents hosted a Groundhog’s Day luncheon), and an every other weekend game night. Little known fact, I’m a self-proclaimed corn hole pro...Chris would whole-heartidly disagree, but don't listen to him, he’s just _jealous_. With his siblings and mine running around like crazies all the time, imagine Cheaper By the Dozen times another dozen.

I always knew deep down inside that Chris would find his foot in the door when it came to acting. It started innocently as kids. He had such an intriguing imagination, and he took his “roles” during our play pretends _very_ seriously...even when he was forced to take on the part of the family dog during our riveting renditions of house, Hell, he'd OWN IT and be the BEST damn pooch he could possibly be. I remember the day his mom told us he had booked his first official gig…granted it wasn’t much at all, but being young, it made my stomach do flips to think that my dorky best friend was now working alongside the pros. When he was cast in his first big film years later, he called me and we cried together. I’ll truly never forget that night...granted, his "big break" involved wearing whipped cream pasties, but that was besides the point. Oh yeah, and of course there was the first time I saw that goon’s face on the big screen...the face that I had commited to memory after all these years, every dimple and freckle proudly displayed for the whole wide world to see...which led to more tears and another unforgettable moment...again, despite the whipped cream pasties. Floored would be an understatement. The man was a natural.

At the very end of the day, he’s my buddy, my rock. Despite the fame and the fortune, he never fell far from his roots, and for that, I'm endlessly thankful. I tend to think a lot of people have a pre-conceived and somewhat negative notion about celebrities, so I guess I'm here to set the record straight. Bottom line? Life is insane. No matter what your status is, it throws ups and downs your way, assuming you have the strength to take it. Shit happens, friendships can strain, relationships come and go, and you never really know what’s in store for you in the long run…but I think I’m getting a little ahead of myself, aren't I?


	2. Ramen Noodle Skype Calls

I slid my wheelie chair across the hardwood and placed my noodle cup in between my knees. Skype calls were an absolute must for us while he was away. Chris was currently doing the press tour for Avengers: Endgame while I had my butt stuck in Boston working open to close as a waitress at the _lovely_ (sarcasm) Golden Biscuit Diner. While he spent his days wearing designer sneakers, smelling like a thick wad of cash in a wallet, I spent my days taking orders for crippled old people and smelling like swiss cheese and Jewish deli meats. Winning!

“What’ve you been up to, Lemons?"

Okay. Story time. “Lemons” was a pet name given to Chris against his will. When we were 18, the two of us got shitfaced in his mom’s basement while she was on a trip to the mountains with a few of her lady friends (yes, illegal drinking, and yes, we stole her liquor…sorry, Mom! Oh, and sorry, Mama Evans!). I remember my stupid tipsy ass exclaiming in the _most_ drunken manor imaginable that the name “Chris Evans” sounded an awful lot like “Crisp Lemons”. I don’t know why or how, but of course it took me about ten minutes to regain my composure after laughing like a complete idiot over it. Chris wasn’t too enthused.

Chris Evans…? Crisp Lemons…? Get it? No? Just me? Okay...

“Ohhh, you know, the usual. Talking to the press and dodging any question that could lead to a potential spoiler…so basically talking about anything BUT the movie itself.” He chuckled with a subtle roll of his eyes.  
“Ahh,” I exclaimed, smacking my mouth full of chicken Ramen, “To be in a major movie franchise. Quite difficult, it seems.”  
He sighed, running his fingers through his freshly cut locks, “I miss you tons, Pages.”

Story time part two. When we were little, baby Christopher couldn’t quite grasp the concept of my name, and with the little lisp he sported as a small child, it sounded a lot more like “Pay-ithh” than "Paige". As we got older, it quickly changed to “Pages”, and from there, it just sorta stuck. Significantly less embarrassing than my pet name for him, huh?...Okay, you know what? In MY DEFENSE, I was space cadet clouded in coconut rum at the time, and the nickname hit me right in the giggledick. Go ahead, spare me!

“Hey now. Two weeks. You’ll be back before you know it.” I said, pointing my fork at the computer screen in between vicious chews of carrots and peas.  
“I knooow,” He moaned, lip jutting out in the most childish fashion.  
“C’mooon, Chrissy. What’s better than hanging out with your superstar friends and talking _exclusively_ about _yourself_?” I said, a smirk hanging from my lips as I drew out the words.  
“Mom’s cooking…watching Pats games with my family...Thursday beer and junk food binges with my best friend..."  
I snorted, “You're always such a sap.”  
He flashed a grin, “You know it.”  
A beat of silence passed between us before he nodded towards me and curled his brows in a judgmental fashion, “Ramen? Really?”  
I curled in on myself, “Hey. You know I don’t like cooking actual food.”  
“Can’t.”  
“What?”  
“Can’t cook.” He said simply, smirking devilishly. He was a real ass sometimes.  
“I CAN cook, thank you very much. I just enjoy the simple comforts of a Ramen noodle every once in a while.” I said with emphasis, twirling the utensil between my fingers.  
He laughed heartily, “I see.”

  
He began to ring his hands together, a surefire sign he was anxious about whatever was about to come out of his mouth next. I was used to this mini gesture.

  
“So…I’ve been thinkin-“  
My ADHD got the better of me in that moment, so I interrupted, “I’m gonna stop you right there, but I PROMISE we’ll get back to that...did you see the post I sent you? The one about the Captain America Endgame speculation?”  
“Uh,” He was taken aback by the sudden change in subject, but as per usual, he went with it, "No, I didn't."  
I leaned back in my seat, my eyes squinting hard, “Fans are saying that Cap’s gonna go back in time to be with Peggy. I say it sounds legit.”

I took a long sip of the savory Ramen liquid. The water singed my throat, but despite the sharp pain that was quick to form, I kept my eyes stuck straight in his direction.

  
He shook his head, not even giving it a second thought, “My lips are sealed, honey. You know this.”  
I groaned loudly, “UGH. You seriously can't tell me ANYTHING?"  
“Nope. Nada. Gonna have to wait to see for yourself.”  
"But you told me about the whole 'Bucky killin' Tony's parents' thing, and that was a MAJOR spoiler!"  
"Hey now. I had a littleee bit too much alcohol in my system when that happened. I don't like to talk about how bad of a tragedy _that_ could've been. God. I basically had to duct tape your mouth shut for months to keep you from telling people!"

See? I'm not the ONLY ONE that does stupid shit when they drink.

I laughed hard, my eyes quickly welling with tears as I drunkenly opined, remembering the moment as if it were yesterday, "PAIGE. PAIGEY. Oh my GOD. We shot a scene today...I have to tell you ALLLLLL about it. It was _CRAAAZY_. Buck...he _KILLED_ Tony's parents. Like. _IRON MAN'S_ parents."  
Chris' face turned bright pink in clear embarrassment, but he just couldn't help but laugh along.  
“Okay, okay! I get it. We know how it happened, but it won't be happening again, that's for damn sure."  
After recovering from my laughing fit, I sighed, "Damn. It was worth a shot, I guess."  
The conversation went off the rails for a few moments more, until I realized, “Shit! I’m sorry, what did you wanna say before I rudely interrupted?”  
“Oh!" He jumped for a moment, "Uhh. Actually, it can wait. It's gettin' kinda late here anyway."  
“Ya sure?”  
“Uh huh!” He spoke back, a little too enthusiastically.

  
I could tell something was on his mind, but I trusted his judgement in that if it were truly serious, he’d speak now or forever hold his peace.

  
“How late is it where you are? Don’t you have to be up early?”  
“Yeaah,” He said, pressing his fingers into his tired eyes, “I'm gonna hit the hay."

  
I took my last bite and chucked the container in the bin next to me. It hit the corner of the plastic and bounced out.

  
“Fuck!"  
He chuckled, “You know, I would’ve made that shot."  
“Shut your pie hole, Evans. Get some sleep.”

  
He stifled another chuckle and smiled sincerely.

“Goodnight, sweetheart," He said, "We’ll talk soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya again! I have a feeling these chapters are gonna be a little short, but I'm hoping this chapter gives you a good sense of Paige's characterization as well as her relationship with Chris. Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated!  
> \- K xx


	3. Just a Typical Diner Day

You remember that _lovely_ (again, sarcasm) diner I mentioned a hot second ago? Well, welcome to a day in the life of being ridiculously underpaid! Don’t get me wrong, working with my mom as my higher-up definitely has its perks. When I need a vacation, taking off takes little to no effort at all due to her making the schedules each week, or when Chris is in town, I can always count on Miss. Momager to give me the time I need to spend with him. My mom’s great. The big boss, Joe? Ehhh. Not so much. He has the likability of a damn spork, for God’s sake…completely useless, unreliable, and thinks he’s the almighty ruler of us all. _Fools, bow down! We’re not worthy!_

“I talked to Chris last night.” I said to my mom as we stood behind the counter doing busywork during our lunch shift.  
“Oh, really? How is he?” She piped up, her voice warm as honey.  
I smiled, “He’s good. Same as always. He looks tired though, which is to be expected.”  
“Yeaaah, well, it happens. Our little movie star man.” My mom chuckled.  
“Luckily,” I continued on, drumming my fingers over the sticky countertop, “He’s contractually obligated to speak about anything that isn’t the movie, so he hasn’t been hounded with hard-hitting questions…like…‘how do you think this role affects every person in the United States, overseas, and their dog?’”  
My mother laughed.  
“Paige, babe, table six is askin’ for you.” My co-worker, Denise, butted in.

Denise was my best work friend. A little older than me, but at the ripe age of forty, she had the beauty of a woman who deserved to be working someplace that wasn’t the local diner owned by an angry Irish man. Tan, curvaceous in all the right places, and the personality to match. She was a real treat.

“Those annoying ‘haircut that asks to speak to the manager’ ladies again?” I asked.  
Denis threw her head back, barking out laughter, “Oh, they really _do_ look like that, don’t they?” She shook her head, “No, not this time, fortunately.”

  
I rubbed my hands against my apron, dusting myself off before grabbing a pen and paper and getting to work.

“Heeey, baby sis!”  
“Janny! Hey!”

Janny was my eldest sister. Born Janella, but don’t go calling her that unless you want a foot up your ass. She had recently moved an hour out of town to get a bigger house after having her third kid. Fiona is 3, Liam is 6, and DJ is 9…stick with me here, you’re going to have a lot of names to remember. What can I say? My family’s big, and my siblings? Well. They like to have babies. David, Janny’s husband, worked a typical nine-to-five cubicle job, while she spent her days as an elementary school teacher. She loves kids, clearly, and crazily enough, even after three, she still had plans to make more.

“Paypay!”  
I giggled, scooting over to tickle my baby niece, Fiona.  
“How’s my favorite baby girl? I missed you!” I planted a wet kiss on her sweet chubby cheek.  
“Hi, Aunty Pay!” My nephew Liam exclaimed.  
“Hi, cutie!” I went over to meet him, “One…two…where’s the other little monkey?”  
Janny replied, “Oh, DJ went to the shore with a friend of his.”  
“Aww.” I said sadly, “And David?”  
“Business trip. We wanted to come and see you though! It’s kinda boring back at the house without the two other trouble-makers, that’s for sure.”  
“Twubble baykers!” Fiona emphasized in a toddler voice that could melt butter.

  
I laughed, setting my pad and pen down and sitting down in front of my sister.

  
“Sooo I keep seeing Mr. Evans on TV with all the Endgame trailers. It’s actually INSANE how talked about this movie is. Have you spoken to him? How’s the press tour going? I’ve talked to Carly, but she says he’s basically MIA at the moment.”

For reference, Carly is one of Chris’ sisters. There’s Carly, Shanna, and his younger brother, Scott, but if you _didn’t_ know that already, I’m just gonna assume you’re a fake fan. Hey, I don't make the rules here, YOU do.

“He’s doing super well! I was just telling Mom that I spoke to him last night.”  
“Of course he keeps tabs with you, Paigey. You were always his favorite. Speaking of Mom, where is that sexy broad?”  
As if on cue, my mom came clambering out, “Jan! My baby!”  
“Hi, Mommy!” They embraced as if they hadn’t seen each other in years

A thing you should know about our family is that we’re really close and very stupidly affectionate.

The two of them went on about DJ and David being away, asking about the kids, and work, and house renovations, and everything in between and under the sun, but my ears only perked when Chris’ name was mentioned.

“Huh?”  
“Zoning out, P?” My sister asked, a small smirk playing on her lips.  
“What? Oh! Sorry.”  
“Yeah, yeah, _Mrs. Evans_.” Janny said with flare. A running joke of my older sister’s was that I’d eventually end up marrying Chris. She’d always want us to play “mommy and daddy” when she got to be the one to choose roles during house. It was silly when we were younger, but the joke carried itself into adulthood. I guess you could say my sister was the ultimate shipper.

“As I was saying, I’m glad the kid’s doin’ well! Do you know what his plans are after this whole Marvel business?” Janny asked.  
“Nah. I know he’s constantly contemplating taking some time off to direct. Maybe he’ll audition for some indie movies again.”

  
The two nodded in response. Just as we were about to change the subject, a loud grunt broke us away from our conversation. That could only mean one thing.

  
“Girls! Seriously? Sitting down?”  
“Shhhit. Duty calls.” My mom said, jumping up and clearing her throat. “Be right there, Joe!”

Listen. My mom, being the manager and all, was _technically_ my boss, but regardless of high up you were on the Golden Biscuit Diner social ladder, I didn’t know a single person who wasn’t afraid of the wrath of Big ‘ol Joe.

  
I jumped up, brushing a strand of hair out of my eyes.  
“Sorry, guys,” I said sheepishly, almost under my breath in frustration, quickly returning to my happy-go-lucky waitress voice when I noticed the boss eying me up.

“Can I get you all started with something to drink?!"


	4. Honey, I'm Home!

You know what’s the most crazy? The fact that, while Chris would be gone for months at a time, it truly felt shorter than you’d expect it to feel. Of course I missed him, but to me, I grew used to the time apart. I knew he didn’t see it the same way though. He really missed it back home while he was away, and I could never blame him. People getting jittery fan vibes around you all because you parade around wearing spanks in front of a special camera? Getting asked the same list of sedentary questions and having to respond differently every time you’re asked them? Not for me, sir. No thank you.

Tonight was two weeks later, and Chris was on his way back home for a couple of weeks more before the official red…well…PURPLE carpet premier. It was a Thursday, so as promised, beer and junk food night to celebrate his homecoming was a go. These nights were few and far between, but it all began on a Thursday after he had finished a grueling workout session with his trainer. He came over to mine, bitching about the diet he had to be on for Captain America: The First Avenger.

 _“Paige, I have to be strict with this,” He said with an all too obvious sadness in his voice._  
_“No, you don’t! You’re already halfway to that perfect triangle body! One night won’t destroy you, besides, you’ve earned it.” I said, grabbing a strong hold of his shoulders._  
_He huffed, crossing his arms tighly as his head hung low, “I want grilled chicken, LITE salt, steamed broccoli, and a side salad with extra veggies and NO DRESSING.”_  
_“No ya don’t,” I said matter-of-factly, “You want TACOS.”_

So there it was. He was too easy to pursued, so we got Taco Bell. And that’s how it started! One night every other week didn’t kill that perfect physique, did it? I didn’t think so.

  
My phone buzzed across the room and I knew that either meant that he was close by or at the door. After reading what he sent, we’ll go with the latter. In an instant, I threw my phone onto my bed and raced down the stairs of my apartment, nearly missing the bottom step and giving myself a minor heart attack in the process. Without hesitation, I swung the door open before Chris could even make it to the front step.

“AH!” He screamed.  
“AH!” I screamed back.

We communicate well.

He dropped his bags, his long legs bounding forward, making a beeline for me.  
“Fuck, I missed you, ya little shit!” He exclaimed, hugging me so that my toes no longer touched the floor.  
“UGH. Chrissy, I missed you too!”

I always savored our hugs because, truly, he was the best at giving them. I tucked my forehead underneath the curve of his neck, his thickened beard hairs sticking to my frizz. He swayed me without even realizing it and took a deep breath in.

“It is SO good to be home, you have no idea.”  
“Oh, I think I have an idea.” I laughed.  
“Oh, hush, you.” He said, pulling away, holding my shoulders, and smiling down at me. “I brought ya somethin’!”  
I swatted at his bicep, “Christopher Robert Lemons, I keep telling you that you don’t have to get me something every time you go gallivanting!”  
“It’s food-related.”  
“Gimme’.”  
He laughed hard, smacking his hand against his chest. You all know the laugh.  
He grabbed the bag that was previously dropped outside and shut the door behind him. Inside was a much smaller bag with a bow attached to it.  
“Chrissss.”  
“Waaat?” He responded, his Boston popping out.

I pealed the gift away from his hands slowly. Regardless of how much money the guy had to his name, I was never good at receiving gifts from him, even if they were cheap and totally affordable. I peaked in between the frilly paper and gently gasped at the sight.

“Little Valley chocolates?!” I exclaimed, “Oh my God, I love these things! You can only get them in L.A. too!”  
“That’s not the only thing in there.” He said with a smirk.

I rummaged more until I found a pint-sized travel bottle filled with a bright orange, almost toxic-looking liquid…my favorite hot sauce. Okay, I know this might sound weird to some people, but I think I have a serious hot sauce fetish. I could probably put it on ice cream if I really wanted to. My personal favorite was called The Devil’s Toilet Water, kinda nasty when you think about it, but it’s seriously a GOD-SENT. Extremely spicy with a tiny bit of tang and an underlining sweetness that you can only taste if you think about it.

“Ah! Holy shit, Lemons! It’s so cute!”  
Chris laughed, “I saw they had mini ones, and of course, I had to get you one. Now you can take your hot sauce on the go!”  
I giggled, “Oh God. Thank you so much. This is amazing. You really didn’t have to, you know that, right?”  
He pinched my side, a thing he did often, “Yes, but I wanted to.”  
I smiled, twirling the baby bottle in my hands, admiring it and relishing in the thoughtfulness of the man in front of me.  
“So, pizza and beers tonight?” He asked, pulling me back to reality.  
“Yes! I already ordered the pizza, so it should be here soon. Beer’s where it always is.”  
He grinned from ear to ear, “I have SO MUCH to tell you.”  
“We’ll talk about it over liquid courage.” I said, pointing a finger at him.  
“Hey,” He pointed a finger back at me, “No attempts to get me to spoil anything, alright?”  
I groaned, putting my hands on his back from behind as I led him into the kitchen. Once there, took a bag of sour cream and onion Lays from the snack cabinet and thrusted them his way.  
“Chip?”  
“YES. I’m starved. The food I had at the airport this morning was shit.”  
I nodded, tearing into the packaging, “It typically is.”  
He puddled piles of chips into his palm, popping them happily into his mouth.  
“So.”  
“Sooooo.” He grinned like a schoolboy, chewing all too loudly.  
I took a potato chip and threw it his way, “You’re such a weirdo.”  
“Nahhh.”

Hours later, with a gentle buzz filling both of our heads and the pizza shoveled down as if our lives depended on it, we sat cross-legged like gossip girls on the floor.

“And then he realized I had my fly down the ENTIRE FUCKIN’ TIME.”  
“Oh GOD, dude.” I exclaimed, my contagious laughter echoing off the walls of the room, “Leave it to Mackie to point something like that out AFTER the fact.”  
“I know! SO awful.” He shook his head as his cheeks turned colors. I wasn’t sure if it was from the embarrassment or the beer.

  
“Oh! Dude! Remember that thing you said you were thinkin’ a couple of nights ago? What was it?”  
“What thing? Ohhhhh.” He said, his brows knotting together.

I took a quick sip of my water in attempt to sober up for a minute. I never forget the little things, and if what he wanted to say was really causing him even the slightest bit of anxiety, I wanted to be ready just in case.

“Is there a problem?” I asked, tilting my head off to the side.  
“Nnno. Nonono. No problem.” He waved his hand frantically.  
“Okay…? Then what is it…?” In that moment, I was suddenly put on the edge.

He took a second to himself, his face twisting, expressing a variety of different emotions all at once. After an awkward silence, he finally looked at me.

Oh dear.

“I, uh, don’t remember what I was thinkin’…to be honest...I don’t even remember that conversation.” He giggled, slapping his hand to his thigh.

Drunken asshole.

  
“Jesus, Chris, I think you’ve hit your limit.” I said, releasing my breath and regaining a little bit of tipsiness.  
“Well, another wouldn’t hurt,” He said, “To being home?” He said lifting his third drink.  
I rolled my eyes, lifting mine as well, “To keeping your zipper UP during interviews, Evans.”


	5. A Tendency to Spill Shit

After drinks and playing catch up with Chris, it was back to the grind the next night. Fridays were BAD at the diner. You can always expect a big crowd and a line out the door as the weekend drew nearer. Luckily, given the fact that Chris had just gotten back from his MARVELous vacation, all I had to do was get past this night to be free from the Hell that the weekend would bring.

As we closed up shop, I sat at the bar filling sugars by the coffee station while Denise vacuumed. Joe is never around when we close, so for once in our working lives, we could kick off our shoes and relax a little.

I chewed my lip in concentration, “Soo. Chris has had this thing that he’s been thinkin’ about, but he hasn’t told me yet.”

See? I never forget.

“Oh…?” Denise questioned, “Good or bad?”  
“I’m honestly not too sure, but he seemed kinda anxious about it.”  
“Oh, hon…do you think…?” Her eyes flashed with a genuine sense of curiosity.  
“What?” I snapped, the sudden whip of my body causing the sugar to spill all over the freshly cleaned counter. Klutzy bitch.  
“…Do you think he’s finally realizing that he has a thing for you?"

I laughed…hard…but when she said that, I couldn’t deny the fact that my heart skipped a beat…or two…or maybe I felt it stop altogether.

“No! Oh my God, D! Seriously?”  
Her hands flew in protest, “Well, I dunno! I’m just throwin’ it out there! I mean, I sure as Hell would jump at the chance to jump those bones…”  
“Jesus, Denise! You’re married!”  
She laughed as she got a paper towel to wipe away the sugar, “Oh, he’s an actor. I can say what I want about him. The ring don’t mean a thing!”  
My eyes rolled so far back they could’ve fallen out of my face, “He’s my FRIEND, D.”

  
She responded with another laugh as she grabbed her bundled up apron and clocked out.

  
“I’m sure it’s nothin’ then, babygirl. Don’t stress about it, okay? I’ll see you on Monday!” She said, her back already facing me as she walked to the door.  
“Laters!” I said.

Get ready to overthink, Paige.

Chris and I had Saturday afternoon plans to grab lunch. Our favorite place to go in town was a small mom and pop restaurant that served the most decadent dishes for a good price. The best thing about it was the fact that we were always escorted to the best seats in the house, away from potential fans.  
When I opened the door, I was greeted by the smells of warm pot pies, coffee, and cinnamon brioche rolls (my personal favorite). The lights were low and homely, kind of like a grandmother’s house. I looked around, digging my hands deep into the fuzzy pockets of my sweatshirt as I waited.

“Hey, you!"

I heard his voice sing behind me, and as he came into view, there he was…dressed almost to the nines in a button down and tie…

Shit. Shit. Shit. No way. Not possible. This wasn’t a date, _was it_? Was Denise right? Was this his subtle way of giving me hints?

“Uhhhhh. I would’ve dressed nicer had you told me to,” I said as I stood there, awkwardly looking down at my old, torn leggings and thrown together top half.  
He chuckled, “Oh, this?” He asked, pointing to his obvious getup, “I was at a meeting with my assistant to talk about what I plan to do after Marvel.”

PRAISE THE LORD UP ABOVE.

“Oh! I gotcha.”  
“Shall we get seated?”  
"Certainly!" I said, offering my arm for him to take as we were properly escorted by the hostess to our table.

We spent the majority of lunch talking about what him and his assistant, Tanya, discussed. Ideally, his next step would be to write and direct another movie. He said he had tons of ideas floating around in that head of his that he had already begun writing down on scraps of notebook paper. I remember being beside myself when the man made his debut as a director. Before We Go was truly a hidden gem of a film, and I remember talking about it for weeks on end, astonished by my best friend's level of attention to detail. Wherever this guy got his incredible knack for creativity, I’ll never quite know for sure.

After a light lunch, it was almost impossible to pass up a homemade dessert, so we each scanned the menu and picked out our favorites...a slice of peach pie and a hot tea for him, and a grand slice of chocolate cake for me.

“So. Question.”  
“Shoot.” He said as his hands folding around the mug, taking in its warmth.

I had my eyes focused exclusively on the giant slice of cake in front of me. I picked the cherry off of the top and popped it into my mouth.

I savored the rich taste in my mouth as I nonchalantly asked, “So. Any luck in the dating front?”  
He chuckled as he put the mug to his lips, “Unfortunately no.”  
“Huh…” I paused for a moment.

You see, I wasn’t trying to pry. Really, I wasn’t, but with the way things were turning out lately, the coincidences I kept running into, I couldn't help but gain a bit of speculation.

“Any luck from your end?” He asked, a droplet of tea rolling down his chin that hadn’t made it past his lips.

Without even thinking about it, I reached forward and slid my thumb across the spot where the liquid landed. His eyes didn’t move from mine as I did so. God, they were so blue. It was one of those cliché movie moments where you swear time slows down all at once and all you can see is him and you, until-…

“FFFUDGE NUTS!”

As I pulled away a littleee too quickly, taken aback by my own confidence in seductively touching my best friend’s face, the glass of water that was threatening the edge of the table crashed into my lap, practically covering my entire person. In a flash, Chris quickly hopped up with a napkin in hand.

“Shoot, P. Here, take this.”

I looked up, my face burning red as he handed me what was probably the tiniest piece of fabric known to mankind…or maybe my mind was making it tinier than it actually was because of the humiliation that washed over me.

“REALLY, Chris? That thing could clean a single spec of dirt off of my pinky toe! Go get more napkins!” I laughed, taking a split second to revel in the hilarity of the moment instead of contemplating what had just happened.

We were able to dab most of the moisture from my sweatshirt, and while I left the restaurant a tad bit damp, I was contently stuffed and generally pretty happy despite the slight scene I had caused in there.

“So what's on the menu for the rest of the day, chief?” I asked as we walked to our cars.  
“Well, I figure we can part ways for a couple of hours. I have a few extra calls and stuff that I need to make for work. Buttt after…”  
“Afterrrr…?”  
“You know the park a couple of blocks down from here? The one where they have that big gazebo with the string lights?” He asked, pushing his hands into his pant pockets.  
“Yeah...?”

“Well, I hear they’re doing live music by the lake at 7...how’s about you and I go?"

Oh no.

”Oh, that sounds nice! Yeah, I’ll totally go!”

“Great! I’ll pick you up?”

”I can drive myself, Chris, it’s no problem.”

”I insist.”

OH NO.

”Okay then. I guess I’ll see you at 7 then?”

”It’s a date!”

Shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny story about this chapter! I originally had Chris ordering a coffee instead of a tea, but quickly changed it after seeing an interview in which he talked about not being a coffee-drinker lol. I want this story to be as authentic as possible, so I'm sorry, fangirls, if some of my knowledge of the man is off.
> 
> THAT BEING SAID, I'll probably frequently go back in this story and change a couple of things, or even add more to it. I'm a BIT of a perfectionist, but I promise I won't add anything that would change the overall outcome. Extra details just tend to come to me at random times.  
> \- K xx


	6. The Question

It’s not a date. It couldn’t be a date. Could it? FUCK. I spent the entirety of the afternoon thinking about why Chris would want to go some place seemingly romantic for a simple hangout…so much so that I actually went to the GYM. Yeah, right? I rarely go anymore given my work schedule, but I needed to let out my anxieties. Granted, it wasn’t rare for us to go to parks together and listen to live music, but this time, it felt  _different_.

When I headed back from my cardio escapades, I saw my mom’s car in the driveway of my apartment. Great. I have a constant issue with keeping my damn mouth shut to ANYONE in my family. I’m a complete open book and that never comes in handy.

I entered the house and heard the TV tuned at max volume to the cooking channel. My mom often enjoys making herself at home. I turned the corner and saw her lounging, arms sprawled across the back of the couch, my cat, Peanut Butter (PB for short) curled like a loaf in her lap.

“Hey, baby! I forgot to give you your check before I left work yesterday. Figured you could use it in case you and Chris decide to go-“  
“He asked me out on a date.”  
“He WHAT?”

I groaned, throwing my sore and sweaty body next to hers, the sudden movement causing PB to race away. My mom giggled, her eyes turning into saucers and gaining a brightness I had never seen before.

“He’s been hidin’ somethin’ from me lately and I don’t know what. He brought me gifts from the press tour, showed up dressed in a tie to our lunch, and asked me to go to the park tonight…the one with the damn gazebo with the lights and everything and UGH. He even offered to pick me up. He NEVER does that."  
“You guys are best buds, P! I’m sure he just wants to spend all the time in the world with you since coming back. He’s been homesick.”  
I pressed my thumbs against my temples, a stress headache forming, “I knooow. Denise told me not to stress about the little things either, but I just can’t help it. I’m worried.”  
“Oh, hon. Don’t be!”

I sighed deeply, looking towards my mom. I'm lucky to have such a great support system in my life.

“…But on the off chance that it _IS_ a date…”  
“You’re impossible!” I said, getting up and grabbing a banana from the kitchen.

My mom was right. I really had no reason to stress out. It was just a hangout. But then again, on the off chance it WAS a date, well, then I guess I’d have to dress well. I can’t make the same mistake twice in one day, now could I? Hmm. I rummaged through my closet after taking a long, steamy, and much-needed shower. Leggings? No. Cropped top? HELL no. After a few moments, I quickly settled on something; a cute, yellow sundress with red roses decorating the bust.

When I heard the doorbell ring, I tumbled halfway down the stairs before realizing that I should probably work on composing myself.

I graced my way over and opened the door very casually.

“Heey- whoa, fancy!”

My cheeks burned. THIS time, HE was the one underdressed; wearing a Pats T-shirt, a pair of khaki shorts, a NASA hat, and sneakers.

“I would’ve dressed nicer had you told me-“ He began, a callback from earlier.  
I slapped his chest, “Oh stop! I just figured it’d be nice out, and since it IS summer after all, I wanted to wear a sundress...it has pockets!” I exclaimed proudly, sticking my hands in them and twirling from side to side.  
“I see…” He drew out, a small smile on his face. I could’ve sworn I saw his eyes scan up and down my body. “Well, shall we go? Band’s probably gonna start soon.” He said, checking the invisible watch on his wrist.  
“Yeah, yeah! Let’s get to it!”

He offered his arm to me, which in hindsight, I had done the _same exact_ thing earlier...but this was enough to destroy all logic and reasoning in my mind. I hesitantly grabbed a hold of his bicep and shyly looked up at him. Chris was about a full two heads taller than me, and in this moment, I was very aware of our drastic comparison in height. With a nod of his head towards his car, we headed off to our destination.

Imagine, for a moment, the most romantic location in all of existence. The park just a few blocks away from our lunch spot was the textbook definition of beautiful. The sun always set just over the lake, creating a shimmer on the water. Ducks slid across the glossy surface, begging for bread scraps from people passing by. Kids raced around a giant wooden play set, and next to that, plots of multicolored flowers led right to the gazebo with the fairy lights. The band, which seemed to be of the jazz-variety, set up right at the corner on a small stage. The scene was officially set.

“Wanna sit in the gazebo?” Chris asked as soon as we got there.

Oh, here we go.

“Yeah, sure!”

In all honesty, the band was pretty good, but I could hardly focus on anything other than my close proximity to the handsome man at my side. Even after hours of telling myself that this wasn’t a date, I knew in more ways than one that I was truly a goner.

Some time had passed, and while it had probably only been minutes, it felt more like hours. We made casual conversation here and there, but I could tell his attention was stuck solely on the music, while mine was undeniably on him.

“C’mere,” He said all of a sudden. He stood up from his seat and motioned for me to join him as he leaned against the edge of the architecture.  
“Okay…”

The sound of awkward silence was all that was heard in the space between our bodies.

“So, Pages,” He began as he took my hands in his.

I can almost guarantee that mine were sweating bullets. Classy as ever.

  
The band a few feet away from us decided to interrupt the growing tension by proudly declaring the next song to follow.

“This one’s a classic! I’m sure you all know it, I mean, it's truly a hard tune to forget...it’s called Careless Whisper!”

Of course. Did Chris himself request this?

“I’ve been struggling for a while, trying to figure out how to ask you this…and you can say no to it if you want to!”  
“W-what is it…?”

  
He sighed.

Great. I’m about to be asked out by my childhood best friend…to CARELESS FUCKIN’ WHISPER…

I kept my mouth knit shut as he continued on.

"Paige, it would mean absolutely everything to me if you would join me at the Endgame premier…”  
“Like a date?” I blurted out, unable to hold back any longer.  
He chuckled, “Like a guy wanting his best friend to help him through one of the biggest nights of his life.”  
“Oh…oh my God…Chris, really?” Every ounce of breath I had stored in my chest over the last few days suddenly blew out all at once.

He smiled sincerely. I’m sure his heart was racing as he waited eagerly for answer. Mine definitely was.

“Yes, really. You’ve never gone to a premier with me, and seeing as this is the end of my Marvel journey, having you there would be undeniably incredible."  
With that, I felt the tears coming on, “Oh, Lemons…a-are you sure…?”  
“Fuck yes, I’m sure!” He barked, throwing his head back in laughter.  
“Oh my God…YES.” I squealed childishly, my body crashing into his as I gave him the tightest hug possible, my arms finding themselves all the way around his torso.

We stayed like that for a while, his fingers gracing the top of my head as I stifled my sobs.

“Are you crying, Paige…?” He asked suddenly.  
I pulled back and spread my fingers along my cheeks to clear the tears that fell against them, “No! Not at all!”  
He pinched my side, “You little goober! There’s no need to cry!”  
“I know, I know…I just thought…I just-“  
“You thought what…?”  
“You just scared me! I didn’t know what you were about to ask!”  
He laughed, linking his arm around my neck as he pulled me in for another hug.  
“You’re such a weirdo.” He said.  
“Nahhh.” I replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely ADORE the way this chapter turned out! I'm sure y'all thought the two of them would share a spicy kiss in that gazebo, huh? Well, good things take time! Don't worry, the story is starting to take form in my brain and I have some great ideas coming up. I hope y'all are enjoying it so far!  
> \- K xx


	7. Logistically Speaking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda a short chapter, but it's one of those things that you just gotta throw in there.  
> \- K xx

“So logistically…”  
“Logistically…” He repeated.

It had been a few days since Chris had asked me to join him to the Endgame premier, and trust me, I was stoked. In the moment, all potential common sense questions left my head and we enjoyed the rest of our night in the park. It wasn’t until a day later that I began to think about what this truly meant for me. It would be weird to show myself in front of his fans, not in the fear that they would be jealous of me…but because fans meant fame, and I too often tended to forget that Chris is immensely famous. I tried not to dwell on it too much in the days in between seeing him again.

Him and I were over his place a few mornings later, catching up on our binge of Big Mouth when the questions began.

“First of all, will your family be there?”  
“Scott’s coming,” He responded, “So you’ll be able to hang with him while I’m off doing carpet interviews.”  
“Okay…that’s good…” I said, my fingers stroking through his dog, Dodger's fur as his head leaned flat against my lap.  
“The fans know about you, P. Most people know about you.”  
“I know, I know. I just worry. This is a big thing. I won’t have to talk to the press, will I?”  
He chuckled, “No, you won’t. I’ll have Tanya with you at all times, keepin’ ya safe.”  
“How does a premier work exactly? Do we pose for pictures and then sit in a gigantic theater to watch the film? Is there popcorn?”  
He chuckled again, “Essentially yes. Think of it as a big party.”  
“Is there booze?”  
“Yes.”  
“Do you get to talk with fans?”  
“Yes.”  
“Do I need a ticket?”  
“Already got it covered.”  
“I’m excited to meet everyone, well, everyone that I haven’t already met yet.”

To tell you the truth, I was most nervous about that portion. I had met the big six…Scarlett, Jeremy, Ruffalo, RDJ, and Hemmy…I was VERY close with Sebastian and Anthony because Chris was…but there will still SO many people that I hadn’t met. Being best friends with Chris Evans was one thing, but the potential of meeting a load of famous faces all at one time made me slightly nauseous. I made a mental note not to eat a big meal before coming.

“Oh, they’re all great. I talk about you constantly, so they’re excited.”  
I gasped suddenly, “Oh NO.”  
“What?” He asked, wide-eyed.  
“What am I gonna WEAR?”

Chris slapped a hand across his chest as he laughed loudly. I swear that well-known laugh of his could be heard from miles away.

“I’ve already spoken to Tanya about it. She wants to take you shopping and help pick something out for you, her treat. She was actually SO happy about you saying yes to this. To be honest, I was worried you wouldn’t…”  
I smiled gently, cupping a hand against his cheek, his beard prickling the inside of my palm, “Christopher, why wouldn’t I say yes?”  
He took his much larger hand over mine, “Because it’s different for you…it’s something that’ll probably smack my ‘celebrity status’ right in your face, and I know you like to view me as your childhood best friend, and not some guy that has fans dripping off of him.”

I sighed.

“Yeahhh…but you’re hott, so do I _really_ blame them?” I joked.  
Chris laughed.  
“Real talk though…”

He raised his brows.

“Will there be popcorn?”


	8. Ever Read a Fanfiction?

When your friend’s fans post constantly about your friend on the Internet…well…your curiosity tends to get the best of you. My social media outlets were all very private, so despite being tagged in photos that Chris would post of him and I together on Twitter, the tags would lead people to a private page, and I never accepted the requests of people I didn’t know. I had seen a lot of interesting things though, from memes to fan edits, I was pretty well-versed.

I’m a woman of many interests, so of course I’ve read a fair share of fanfiction in my time. A night after one of my dinner shifts, and after taking the most gourmet bubble bath in all of human existence, I sprawled my body out over my bed and let my laptop warm my thighs. In a moment of pure weakness, it had never dawned on me that these fanfictions existed, of not only the MCU’s Captain America, but the actor who played him.

My eyes darted around the room as if there were people watching my every move as I flipped my computer open and found my way to Google. I searched for one of the most popular fanfiction websites, where I promptly began to type in his name into the search bar at the top...

Just then, as if he knew, I got a call.

“Hi. Yes. Hello." I spoke quickly, taking a breath to calm my suddenly zapped nerves.  
“Hey, Pages. What're you up to?”

I stared at my computer screen blankly, slowly pushing it away from me as if it were tainted.

“Uhh. Nothin’.”  
“Somethin'.”  
I swallowed hard, “Nooo! Not at all!” My stupid voice had the audacity to crack in that moment, so I muttered a soft curse to myself.  
I heard his laughter ring through the phone, “Waaat, doll? Find my sexy HQ pics online or something?”

I felt my armpits sweat at that comment and I wasn't entirely sure why.

“What?” He asked again.  
“Ever read a fanfiction…?”  
I could practically see the confusion on his face and I’m sure he had his eyebrows painfully furrowed, “A what now?”  
“Fanfiction,” I repeated, as if saying it again would spark something in his brain, “It’s basically a thing where fans write stories based on movies or television or actors…”  
“Huh. Intriguing. Whatcha readin’ about?”

I was stuck.

“Okay. Well. Your fans have written some about you…and I was curious about-”  
“No shit. Really? Are they any good? Have you read any?”

I was surprised by his enthusiasm, so I pulled the page up again, scanning the options readily available to me.

“Uhhh. Well. Some of them are smutty.”  
“Smutty?”  
“Like. Sexy.”  
“Ohhhhh. THOSE kinds of stories, I see.”  
“Whoa, theres one of you and Seb!” I exclaimed, trying to avert his attention.  
“A smutty one?” He asked cautiously, a smirk in his voice.

I was stuck again.

I laughed inwardly, “Yeaaah. Kinda weird, right?”  
“Uhh. Yeah,” He laughed, “I’d say so.”  
“So why’d you call? Did you sense the fact that I was searching you up online?”  
He laughed once more, a lot less uncomfortably now, “I suppose so. I just got back from dinner with the family. It was nice. I had steak.”  
“Typical...oh! So what's the deal with Tanya taking me shopping for a dress?"

"Oh, yeah! I gave her your number, I hope you don't mind. She said she'd text you whenever she's able to make plans."

"Okay, sounds good." I said, casually picking at the seam of my comforter.

“You still on for Sunday?” He asked.  
“Shit. Your fam’s havin’ that cookout, right?”  
“That they are. Kinda a celebration before the big premier day. Why? Are you not able to come?”  
“Nono! I am, I just don’t think my mom can. She’s been stuck at the diner every Sunday lately."  
“Ahhh,” He said, “Well, if she doesn’t, I’ll be sure to catch her before you and I head to the premier.”  
“Yeah, she misses you.” I said.  
“Will the rest of the family be able to join us?”

Okay. Here’s the low-down. I’ve already introduced you to Janny and her kids, so here’s, in all their glory, the rest of the Harrison clan...

Holly, 21, was my youngest sister and had a long-term boyfriend named Frank.

Jason, 38, was my older brother by one year and had a wife named Jennifer and a baby on the way (I’m trying to get them to name the kid after me).

Last but not least, Matthew, the second oldest with a wife named Becca and two kids, Jack who’s 8 and Sophie who’s 5.

So in order from oldest to youngest…Janny, Matthew, Jason, me, and Holly. WHEW! Talk about a serious mouthful.

“Yes!” I said, “I’m pretty sure everyone’s on board.”  
“Awesome!” Chris responded, “I’m already mentally making teams for corn hole.”  
“How about we do singles this time?”

”No way! Teams.”

”What? Afraid of losing to me for the third time in a row? Need a partner to help save your lack of skill?”

His voice sweetened like white sugar, “How’s about we try a game of pong? Does that tickle your fancy, my dearest Paige?"

Him and I both knew that pong was HIS game and that my chances of beating him in that were incredibly slim. I grumbled low in my throat in response.

”Actually,” He continued on, “Singles _could_ get interesting...”

“You’re screwed and you know it.”  
“Ehhh. I have my doubts.”

I rolled my eyes. I told you he was jealous.

“Shut your pie hole.”  
“Maybe stick to reading your fanfictions, Pages.” I didn’t need to see his face to imagine that evil, taunting smirk behind the phone.


	9. Family Feud

It was Sunday and I was on my way to Chris’ mom’s house for the family cookout. I dressed comfy but cute, clad in cut off shorts, a Fanta soda T-shirt, and flip flops. I arrived with bags loaded with goodies; homemade brownies, a store-bought bunt cake, and some potato salad from the diner.

“Oh, P, let me help you with that!” Mrs. Evans exclaimed as I struggled haphazardly out of the car.  
“Here, you can take this,” I said, sliding the potato salad over to her.

Mama Evans' house was big, beautiful, and everything a person could ever dream of owning. The kitchen was grand and perfect for cooking meals to feed the masses. As per usual, the families were stationed out back, seated at a large glass table, a huge umbrella shielding them from the sun.

“Paige! Hi!” Shanna said, coming over to meet me and giving me a quick squeeze.

I smiled at everyone around me, beyond thrilled to have time with my second family as well as my own for once instead of working my pretty, little ass off for minimal tips and a whole bunch of pit stains.

“Hi, everyone!”

I waved over to my brother and my nephews as they played soccer in the field. From what I could tell, they were totally beating him. I moved over to his wife, Jennifer, giving her a warm hug.

“Hello, beautiful girl!” She said, her smile absolutely beaming as she embraced me tightly.

Jenn was all that was right for my scatter-brained brother. Everything about that woman screamed perfection, and of course, she was GORGEOUS. She was thin, despite the watermelon growing from her torso, tall, and her blonde locks flowed like a shampoo commercial down her back. Pregnancy looked good on her.

“Hey, Jenn-Jenn! You look great! How’s the little one in there?” I asked, motioning towards her gigantic belly.  
She giggled, grabbing a hold of it, “Oh, you know, kickin’ like crazy. Two more months left!” She said, holding her hands to the sky in praise.  
“Still not gonna find out the gender?”  
“You know me, I like to do things old-school. Jason’s been BEGGING ME to have the doctor tell us, but you know what? It’s makes things more exciting not to know the gender of our little mystery baby!”  
I leaned in close, “Naming him or her after me wins you bonus points in my book, you know…”  
“Not a CHANCE!” I heard Jason shout from behind me. Clearly, I hadn't been discreet enough in my suggestion.  
“Brother.”  
“Sister.” He smiled goofily, wrapping his arms around my shoulders for a hug.  
“Gettin’ your ass kicked out there?”  
“Oh, you know it! These damn kids are gettin' way too good for their uncle. It’s CRAZY."  
I laughed, patting him on the back, “Get used to it, Daddy-to-be!"

  
“Hey, P? Care for a drink?” Asked Mrs. Evans.  
“Pineapple wine cooler?”  
“You got it!” She smiled, grabbing a chilled drink from the cooler and handing it over to me.  
“Where’s Chris?” I asked the large group as I popped the cap of the glass bottle.  
“He’ll be here shortly,” Carly said, “Work stuff.”  
“Ahh.” I nodded.  
“Hey, babygirl!” Scott said, hugging me close and kissing me on the cheek.

I can’t imagine a single person not sharing some sort of bond with Scott. He was the sweetest peach in the patch, with a personality that you could befriend instantly.

I laughed, patting his shoulder, “Sup, Scotty?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. Oh my God! How excited are you for the premier?! Chris gave the news to me yesterday!"

“I'm SO excited!" I said, bouncing on the balls of my feet.  
“Your first premier ever too! Wow, you’re going to LOVE it. Everything about it really hypes you up for the movie and the vibes are KILLER."

I hid my true nerves behind a sincere smile and took a long swing of my drink, letting the alcohol put a subtle buzz in my brain.

“Hey, look at this awfully handsome man I found out front!” I heard my younger sister Holly say just moments later. I turned to see her as she held Chris by the shoulder, parading him around like a show pony. Her boyfriend, Frank, followed suit, his hands in his pockets and a shy smile on his face.

Holly always had a slight, but very innocent, crush on Chris when we were younger, but after finding her one true love on the Internet (as ya do) she couldn’t see him as anything more than just a friend. Frank, her boyfriend, was quiet in comparison to the rest of us, but I liked him. He was extremely sweet and he took good care of my baby sister. That was important to me.

Chris came over, “Sup, stranger?”  
I smiled, taking a sip of my beverage and relishing in its sweetness, “How’re you?”  
“Better now.”

"What? Not a fan of Holly's enthusiasm?" I asked.

He chuckled, "Nah, you know I love the kid. I'm just happy to be here instead of getting stuck doing hours of work stuff and mind-numbing premier prep."

"Oh, I can drink to that!" I said as I toasted to him.

The rest of the evening was filled with chatter and catch up. My nieces and nephews played in the grass as the grown-ups sat not too far out of earshot, keeping tabs every once in a while to make sure no one was attempting to kill one another. That was a scene I remember straight out of my own childhood. Me and my siblings, Chris with his, PLUS cousins from either end...talk about crazy, but it was sure as Hell fun.

The amount of food stationed between the back and the kitchen could feed ten armies, but we pounded it down like pros...buffalo dip, hoagies, and a GIANT vat of pasta salad...I'd be needing a second stomach. Next up was the corn hole tournament. Me being me, I had made it to the final round, and as expected, I was facing off with Christopher Evans himself.

“You ASS. It WENT IN.”  
“DID NOT.”  
“DID TOO.”  
“Guys, there are kids around, you know!” My older sister announced, laughing at our banter.  
“Yeah, Paigey, you should set a good example!” My brother Matthew shouted as he bounced his baby girl Sophie on his lap. She giggled, clearly amused by her father's motions.

There was no way, NO WAY I could be beaten by Chris. This kinda thing just didn’t happen, so while he was up on his high horse over shooting the ultimate winning shot, I was at the lowest of the lows.

“OKAY. FINE.” I shouted, “You win THIS ONCE, Evans.” I emphasized to Chris, throwing the hacky sack into the grass in a rage.

He came over, a smug smile on his face as he wrapped his arms around me from behind, leaning his scruffy chin against my shoulder. His breath tickled the hairs on my neck and I was suddenly VERY aware of his body pressed against mine and his hands splayed across my belly.

“Hey, you. I won fair and square. No need to throw a pissy fit.”

With him behind me and his voice in my ear, I couldn’t help but let the frustration melt away…I honestly could’ve stayed like that a little longer had no one been watching.  
I pulled away, wiping my brain of the moment of bliss, and rolled my eyes at him. He laughed, clutching his chest.

It was time to break out, believe it or not, MORE food, so I went to occupy my thoughts by helping Janny and Carly serve dessert.

“Don’t think I didn’t see that, P.” Janny spoke softly as she dished out pieces of bunt cake and put them on to little party plates.  
“What?” I asked, my ears suddenly burning.  
She giggled, eyeing me up and down, “Girl, you’re SO bad at hiding it. The body language says it ALL.”  
“Hiding what?” I laughed uncomfortably, digging my toes into my shoes. I knew exactly what she was getting at, but I pressed on anyway.  
“There isn’t a moment that passes where you aren’t looking his way…and he’s never not looking at you…”

I swallowed hard. Was that true? _Did_ he look my way? Had I begun to develop feelings without even realizing it?

“Well, I don’t know about THAT, Jan.”  
“I do,” Carly piped up, “I can see it. My brother’s a sweet guy to everyone, but the look in his eyes changes completely when he sees you. It’s almost instantaneous.”  
“Does it…?” I asked shyly.

”Mhmm...” She went on, “It’s almost as if it’s lov-“  
“I’d ask for more food, but I’m stuffed as Hell!” Chris said, joining us by the dessert table.

I could see Carly stifle her laughter as he appeared.

Saved by the bell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowwy! This chapter was extreeeemely difficult to write for some reason, and I'll probably be adding more to the middle part if I gain a little bit of inspiration. I guess I just don't wanna overwhelm you guys with the amount of people in each family! LMFAO. Anyways, are y'all shipping Paige and Chris yet? I sure as Hell am! As always, I'd LOVE to hear your feedback!  
> \- K xx


	10. Fairy Godmother Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter as well as the next will probably be fillers, which SUCKS ASS because I have SO MUCH that I wanna get to, but like I said, it takes time. I'm really hoping the pay-off is worth it to you guys.  
> \- K xx

I may be a girl, but there's nothing I can't stand more than shopping. Quite unheard of around these parts. I like to think I have a pretty good idea when it comes having an okay sense of style, but shopping stresses the holy Hell out of me. My body type isn’t too difficult to find clothes for, but I’m always way too picky and indecisive.

After one of my breakfast shifts, Chris’ assistant was to pick me up to take me to find the perfect premier getup. As fun as it sounded to strut in gorgeous gowns for a couple of hours, I was anxious. This would be like prom shopping all over again, and believe me when I say that did NOT end well for me. Might as well just cue on the tears!

When I walked out of the diner and into the afternoon sunlight, I was greeted by a sleek, black van...not suspicious at all. Tanya rolled her window down.

“Hey, Paige! Good to see you!”

Tanya and I had met once, very briefly. She was a sweet, young lady, ambitious as ever, meant business, and always wore heels. Her outfit on this day obviously paled in comparison to mine. While I was still wearing my collared work shirt and horribly stained black pants, she wore a full-on suit, tailored to fit every aspect of her body.

I hopped in the passenger seat, “Nice to see you too!”  
“Excited?” She asked.  
“Very!” I replied, “I’m just nervous about finding the perfect one, ya know?”  
“Oh, trust me, I understand. I’m VERY good with this kinda stuff though. It’ll be fun!”

I grinned, leaning my head against my hand on the windowsill.

“So, I figure I’d take you to T & Company, and if you don’t find something there, we can always hit up Greg’s.”  
“Shit, Tanya. Those places are high end!” I said, suddenly straightening my posture.  
She smiled and looked at me from the driver’s seat, “It’s a movie premier, baby, not a tea party. My treat, remember?”  
“Are you sure…?” I asked.  
“Honey, I’m absolutely sure. Buy whatever you feel best in. This is a once in a lifetime experience for you, so both Chris and I want you to feel as comfortable as possible."

We pulled up to T & Company, an extremely expensive dress boutique in the very heart of the city, and made our way through the stainless steel double doors. The place was an absolute madhouse, but we managed to make our way around the store with ease, quickly weaving in and out of aisles like suburban moms on a mission to find the best Black Friday deals.

“How about this one?"  
“Too red.”  
“This one?"  
“Too short.”  
“This is WAY cute!”  
I took a feel of the fabric.  
“Too velvety.”

After about an hour of browsing, I finally had a solid selection of dresses picked out for myself, some of which Tanya had suggested to me.

“Okay,” I shouted from the dressing room, “I’m not even gonna come out in this one cause I look like a damn CUPCAKE. It’s like Polly Pocket goes to CandyLand up in here!"

I heard Tanya’s laughter from just behind the curtain, “I’m sure it’s not THAT bad.”

I walked out in one of her choices...a neon pink, frilly, knee-length dress with gaudy sequins covering the skirt. It was like a Toddlers in Tiaras fever dream. Maybe it would look better on someone who could pull off, but that someone _definitely_ wasn’t me. There was no reasoning with this absolute monstrosity in my mind.

“Okay...that one _does_ look a little like it’s meant for a small child...” She said sheepishly, suppressing a giggle.

I pursed my lips like a goldfish and struck an awful pose to lighten the mood a little.

After my sixth try, I stopped for a moment to admire the seventh, trying my absolute best not to feel a sense of complete defeat.

“You know, I like the way this one hugs my hips, but I don’t like the color enough to want to get it…and the style is a little bit…matronly...”

"I wouldn't say it's matronly...it's just a little..." She paused, searching for the word and stopping at the first one she could find, "Grandmotherly?"

I threw my arms above my head as I painfully exclaimed, "That's even worse!"

Tanya's eyes began to express a sense of sadness. As expected, I was becoming a hopeless case.

"Tan, I'm honestly close to giving up here." I said helplessly, slapping my hands to my sides.  
“Hmm…” Tanya voiced, pressing a finger to her lips, “You know what? There was something on a mannequin I saw when we first walked in here. I don’t know if you saw it too, but it just might be what you’re looking for. Princessy, but sexy. I'll be right back!"

I certainly had my doubts, but at this point, I was desperate. Everything I had tried on just didn’t feel like me and it was wrecking my confidence little by little. Honestly, if I had the balls, I'd show up in a suit. They seemed a lot more practical, breathable, and admittedly, Tanya was totally rockin' hers.

The dress she picked, in truth, was a style I’d NEVER think to choose for myself, but in the craziest way possible, I felt as if it were made for me. The layers underneath made it feel almost like a ball gown, but it wasn’t quite that extravagant. It was a sweet baby blue color, the perfect complement to my skin tone. The neckline scooped all the way down the middle of my chest, givin’ people a little sneak peak of “the girls”. The bodice was tight-fitting and it flowed all the way down to my ankles. The bottom was lacy and shimmery, almost fairy-like...Cinderella-esque, if you will.

“Ohhh…hon…”  
I looked at myself in the floor-length mirror and swayed my hips a little.  
“What do ya think?” I asked.  
“That’s the one. Hands down.”  
“Do you think Chris will like it…?”  
“Well, it matches his eyes.” She said, giggling with amusement.

I smiled. It did.

“Damn,” She went on, admiring it more as I spun myself around, “This is the one, Paige. It has to be. You're truly a stunner in it."

It really _was_ perfect. Not only did I feel like the best possible version of myself in it, but as I begun to picture Chris' reaction to it, I liked it more and more.

“Need any help, ladies?” An older woman interrupted. She was carrying a clipboard and a tape measure, so I think it was safe to assume she worked there.

"Wow, that looks incredible on you, honey!" She said suddenly, pushing her glasses down the bridge of her nose.  
“This one,” I nodded quickly, my decision final, “I want this one.”  
Tanya grinned,“Sold!”


	11. Cali, Here I Come!

The premier was now only a day away, and fear was slowly but surely being replaced by pure and utter exhilaration. We’d be staying at an uppity hotel for the long weekend, and Chris promised me we’d even get to do a little sight-seeing before returning home. I had never been too far out of Boston, so this whole experience was major to me.

The morning of our flight, Chris, Scott, and I made a short pit-stop to say our goodbyes to my mother and father before heading to the airport. To tell you the truth, I think she was the most thrilled out of any of us.

“I want you to tell me ALL about it, Paigey. Text me. Call me. All of that, okay? Oh my gosh, Cali is SO beautiful. Your father and I went there on our honeymoon and-“  
“Mom!” I busted out laughing, “Okay!”  
“Honey bunny, leave the girl alone, I’m sure she’ll be just fine,” My father said, making his way around the corner and shuffling past us as he went to refill his coffee.

My dad was a simple man, quiet a majority of the time, but always got a word in. He worked a desk job, so we always knew we could find him in his office, typing away on a dinosaur of a computer. It was his safe space away from the crazies of the family.

“Oh, can it, Richard!” My mom said, shooting darts for eyes his way.

Now you see where I get my grand ‘ol attitude!

My mom returned back to us and smiled sweetly, cupping a warm hand to my face while she looked over her shoulder at Chris.  
“Take care of her, Christopher.”  
Chris grinned like the perfect gentleman, “Absolutely, Rachel.”

My mom had a thing about being referred to as “Mrs. Harrison”. It made her feel old and God forbid that.

“Scotty, keep him in check.” She said, squeezing Chris’ arm.  
Scott smiled, “Will do, Mama!”

The early morning plane ride was short, sweet, and went off without a hitch. We were lucky that Chris wasn’t stopped by fans or paps, and we got to ride first class, a thing I thought, in my 37 years of life, I would NEVER have the privilege to experience. More perks of having a famous friend.

As we walked through the airport on our way to the hotel, I looked up at Chris and tilted my head in curiosity.  
“You always wear the same ‘disguise’.” I said, pointing in the direction of his sunglasses and baseball cap.  
A smile formed on his lips, “I wear it because it works, P.” He said.

”You’re a nut.” I said back.

”Takes one to know one,” He murmured, playfully punching my arm as we walked on.

My mom couldn’t have been more right about Cali. It was all kinds of beautiful. The heat kissed my translucent skin as soon as we walked outside. Gulls were heard overhead and I could smell the saltwater from the ocean just a few miles away.

When we got to the hotel, we caught up with Scarlett, who was coincidentally staying at the same place as us. I was well-acquainted with her at this point. She was easily one of Chris’ closest friends in the cast because they had worked together on multiple occasions. I remember meeting her on the set of a movie they were shooting not too far out of Massachusetts. Chris begged and pleaded for me to visit him there, and as anxious as I was to be in the presence of cinematic creation, I wanted to support him and I hadn't seen him in months.

 _“You like her?” I asked Chris as he took a brief break from filming to see me._  
_“She’s just a friend, Pages. A friend from work.”_  
_“A friend from work that you just made out with." I said, nursing at my water bottle._  
_He pressed his hands against the both of my cheeks and squished them inwards, “You’re silly.”_

Yep, sorry, Chris and Scarlett shippers of the world. I can tell you first-hand that, despite all the speculation, there was truly NOTHING there...okay, maybe he had a teeny weeny crush at first, but this is Scarlett Johannsson we're talkin' about. Are you even human if you don’t have the sliiiightest feelin’ in your jellies when it comes to that woman?

“Welcome to L.A., Paige!” Scarlett said, holding me at arms length.  
“Thank you so much!”  
“She’s never been this far from home before, so she’s really takin’ it all in.” Chris said matter-of-factly.  
“Oh, that’s amazing! Well, be sure to take her around before you guys leave. Fenny’s Place has the most INCREDIBLE Italian food. Pricey, but worth it.”

Chris smiled, rubbing a hand over his stomach and shooting Scarlett a thumbs up with the other.

”I’ll take that as a ‘yes, we’ll definitely be going there’...?” I asked, looking up at him hopefully. I couldn’t help that I was a sucker for some skettis.

Scarlett chuckled gently and tightly grabbed a hold of Chris’ arm, “Take the pretty lady to get some pasta, Evans. If _you_ don’t, _I_ will.”

Chris, Scott, Scarlett, Tanya, and I went to eat lunch at a low-key restaurant stationed in the hotel before we parted ways for the rest of the day. Scotty and I decided to visit a stretch of local shops while Chris had to stay back and do last minute prep for tomorrow.

After our little escapades, in which I miiightve purchased a few things I know I didn’t need, I stayed in my hotel room, marveling at the exquisiteness of it all and unpacking my bags.

Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door.

“Chris?”  
“Yeah, it’s me. Can I come in? Are you decent?” He asked cautiously.

I laughed as I unlocked the door and pulled it open.

“Finding Nemo pjs in a five-star hotel?” He asked, looking down at my shorts.  
“Oh shaddap. They’re cute, comfy, annnd they make my booty look good.” I said, shaking my bottom, gaining an explosion of laughter from Chris.  
After a moment more, he asked, making himself comfortable on the edge of the bed, “Holdin’ up okay in here?”  
“Mhmm! This place is OUTRAGOUSLY nice. God. I really didn’t expect to have a balcony with a view like this. I walked in and they had chocolate-covered strawberries and a towel in the shape of a swan on the bed.”  
He chuckled, amused by my amusement, “Yeah, part of the VIP treatment, I suppose.”  
“So what’s the dealio for tomorrow? Anything I need to know right off the bat?”  
“Well,” He began, folding his hands around his knees and crossing one leg over the other, “The big six have breakfast plans, which you’re obviously welcome to join. After that, it’s basically right back here to get ready. Limo will be picking us up around 5.”

I nodded, occupying my hands as I set out my clothes and pushed my ensemble for tomorrow off to the side.

“Oooh, issat your dress?” Chris asked, curious eyes peering into my suitcase.  
“Ah-ah, no touchy!” I smacked my hand over his as he reached for the white plastic covering my princess gown.  
He laughed, “Hey! You know what I’LL be wearing.”  
“Yeah,” I said, “But this is different!”

He stood up and grabbed me from behind like he did at the cookout, but this time, the warmth of his hands against my torso was replaced with his agile fingers rapidly tickling at my sides.

“CHRISTOPHER. YOU STOP IT RIGHT NOW.” I screamed between out of breath cackles.  
“Make me!”

Ever realize that that phrase can instantly make ANY situation sexual?

I bit my lip, eager to hold in the laughter as I attempted to pry his strong hands away from me. Futile. In one swift moment, I jabbed his chest with my elbow. Success!

“Ow, P!” He yelped, grabbing himself.  
“That what ya get, fucker!”

His eyes drew circles around the room as he begun to make his way to the door. I followed suit.

“So. Excited?” He asked.  
At this point, I was tired of the question, but I responded the same as I always did. Now I know how Chris feels doing press.  
“I am.” I replied.  
“Good,” He said with a cheesy grin, leaning his arm up against the doorway, “Rest up, okay? Long night ahead of ya.”  
“Will do,” I said, patting his shoulder.  
“Oh, and for the record,” He said as he made his way down the hall, “Those Nemo pjs _do_ make your booty look good.”

Ohhh, this man was surely going to be the death of me.


	12. Avengers? Assemble!

“Holy freakin’ smokes, Paige! Wow…just…WOW.”

”How do I look?”

”Like you were made for fame, honey!”

The night of the grand premier was officially in motion. The dress was on, the makeup was done, and my rat’s nest was twisted in the most elegant up-do thanks to Tanya’s expertise. Truth be told, I was incredibly lucky to have her here to keep me sane. She was used to this kind of frantic, nervous energy, so I didn’t feel too weird about vocalizing my slight reservations as we got ready together.

“Knock knooock!” I heard Scott sing behind the door of the hotel room.  
“Can you get that, Tan? I’ve still got a few touch-ups to do.”  
“Yeah, of course!”  
“Thanks!”

I swiftly escaped to the comfort of the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror, drinking in every possible moment as I admired my aesthetic. I think it was pretty safe to say that I had truly never felt this stunning before. I mean, I had obviously been to my fair share of weddings, but this was all sorts of different to me. It was wild to think that an average-looking girl from Boston, who spent most of her life working a nine-to-five job, could clean up and look like pure money.

I plunged my body forward, gritting my teeth to check for stains. Rosy pink lipstick coated the tips of my incisors, so I smudged away the discoloration and reapplied the lipstick to my lips as necessary. I pulled back, powdering a little extra blush on my cheeks. There. Picture-perfect. I smiled to myself before grabbing my heels off of the tiled floor, sliding my bare feet into them, and making my way out to meet Chris and Scott.

“Hey, guys, are you ready for-“

Chris, who was totally dressed to impress, stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes met mine. God, and to think _I_ cleaned up nicely. How was this man still single again??

I smiled, suddenly feeling the need to act shy, and waved small, “Hiya.”

Chris’ mouth stood completely agape as he looked at me. A hand came up to roam freely against his bearded face in what I can only describe as pure shock...GOOD shock.

“Shit, Paige,” He practically choked out, “You look…gorgeous.” He offered his hand out to me, a grin suddenly growing as his wide eyes continued to wander.

  
I took it graciously and struck a confident pose, my hip jutting out.

  
“Not too bad yourself, killer!” I said, giving him finger guns.  
The corner of his mouth twitched as he looked down at his feet for a short moment, “Why, thank you.”  
“Miss. Paigey Poo, you look ravishing tonight!” Scott exclaimed wildly, grabbing my other hand, pulling me away from Chris, and twirling me around like a ballroom dancer.  
I laughed heartily, “Scotty, are you ALREADY drunk?”  
“Nooooo!” He said, nodding his head in contradiction with his words, gaining amused laughter from each of us.  
“We should head down there now. Limo’s probably here. Does everyone have everything?” Tanya asked as she stuck a giant pair of diamonds in her ears.

We looked around and checked ourselves to make sure all our belongings were properly attached to us. The boys patted their pockets and I reached for my silver clutch.

“Oh! Chris, can you help me with my necklace?” I asked, holding the long string of pearls out to him, “Kinda hard to do it myself.”  
“Of course,” He said as his hands came around the front of my neck and to the back again.

I prayed that no one could hear me as I sighed ever so gently at his touch. This strange feeling in my gut was becoming all too familiar to me. I didn’t know what it was, but lately, it was becoming prevalent as ever.

“Let’s rock and roll!” Scott said, shooting a fist in the air, breaking my brain away for just a moment.

When we got to the carpet, the nerves ignited. Chris offered his arm to me, and I didn’t hesitate to take it as he escorted me past the crowds of people. The place was loud and absolutely chaotic. Nothing in my entire life could’ve prepared me for this moment. Nothing at all. This place made rush hour at Golden Biscuit Diner seem easy as pie. I’d NEVER complain about the hustle and bustle of a simple work shift AGAIN. The gates were filled to the brim with fans, most dressed in the most incredible cosplays I had ever bared witness to. My eyes scanned the scene as I looked for any trace of familiarity. A few celebrities I had recognized from the newer films had already hit the carpet and were posing for pictures.

“You okay?” Chris suddenly asked, arching his neck down and brushing a curl away from my ear.

I looked up at him and nodded quickly, a faint smile on my face.

“Good,” He said, “I think Mackie and Seb are already here. Wanna go find them?”  
“But of course. Lead the way, Cap.” I said, giving him a subtle salute and receiving an automatic eye roll in return.

We made our rounds to search for the boys and my hands clasped tightly around Chris’ bicep as we did so. The shouting of his name grew in intensity as we finally found Mackie and Seb posing together in front of a series of cameras. Goons. At the mention of Chris’ name, Anthony quickly turned his head to find us, racing over as soon as he did.

“Ma girl!” Anthony said, opening his arms wide, “You’re lookin’ damn good tonight!”  
“Mackie, hey! Seb, oh my God, it’s been WAY too long!”  
“Right?” Sebastian said as he greeted me affectionately. I practically melted into his lapel, feeling a lot less anxious now that I was with more recognizable faces.

These two goofballs and I were basically considered the "Fab Three". As soon as Chris dropped my name to Mackie, he was very open about getting my number from Chris and shooting me a text...or two. I was worried shitless about the random number that had suddenly begun to blow up my phone one afternoon…and even MORE worried when I found out who the culprit behind the mystery texts was.

 _“You just GAVE my number to Anthony Mackie?! He’s a famous dude!”_  
_“Pages, I’M a famous dude.” He said with an arch in his brow._  
_“You’re DIFFERENT.” I said._

Seb, on the other hand, was a little more casual about introducing himself. I had commented on a few of his Instagram posts, and after realizing who I was, he followed me back and shot me a brief message. Over time, the two of them grew closer to me, keeping me updated on how filming was going and asking me how I was doing. Chris invited them both to visit us in Boston, and that’s when the three of us really hit it off. Needless to say, they were definitely like big brothers to me.

“I can’t believe you came! This is SO exciting.” Seb said, smiling warmly as he rubbed comforting circles down my arms.  
“Yeah, this is the farthest I’ve been outside of Massachusetts. Kinda crazy."  
“Well, welcome, pretty lady!” Mackie pronounced, placing a palm on my shoulder.

Chris had made his way over to Robert and his wife while I was occupied with the boys. He brought the two over for a quick hello.

“Paige, hey, sweetheart! You look fantastic!” Robert spoke sincerely to me, cocking his head slightly and peeking over his dark sunglasses to get a better look at my ensemble.

His fatherly embrace then greeted me with ease. I had been around Downey only a few times before, and despite feeling a tad bit shell-shocked around him every time, his personality was one that could put any person in a better state of mind. He was so unbelievably humble and it warmed my heart to see the man treat every single person around him as an equal.

“Take good care of her tonight, Evans. I mean that.” He said, pointing a finger at him.

Chris took me around some more to say hey to as many people as we could before he got snagged for interviews. Each person I met embraced my presence like I was family. Tessa Thompson, Karen Gillan, and I got along almost instantaneously, complimenting each other's outfits and sharing in the thrill of the night, and I was properly introduced to the Russos, who were incredibly kind and happy to have me there to support their movie.

"Ah-ha!" Chris burst out of nowhere.  
"What??" I jumped at attention.  
"Come here. Just follow me."

My stomach rapidly dropped to my feet as I realized who we were approaching next...

"Oooh, no. NonononoNO."

Okay. I have a theory. Try and prove me wrong. I’m willing to bet my _entire_ _lifesavings_ that most girls in the world have a celebrity crush on Chris Pratt. I mean, what isn’t there to love about that man? I had constantly voiced this attraction to MY Chris, showing him pictures and practically drooling all over the guy. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I had spent lazy Sundays binging Parks and Rec. Flash forward a few years and just imagine my reaction when I found out the two of them would be starring in the same movie together. Oh, I was in complete hysterics.

And now, without a warning or any sense of mental preparation, there he was in front of me.

“Pratt, buddy, I have someone for you to meet! This is Paige Harrison, I’m sure I’ve mentioned her to you before.”  
“Oh, of course!”  
“Christopher Robert, are you KIDDIN-oh God…uh…HI!” I exclaimed, slapping a hand straight to my mouth, the other awkwardly reaching forward for a handshake. Did someone suddenly put me under a heat lamp? I swore I was sweating beads.

Pratt put his whole body into laughing at my cringe-worthy first impression, but I could tell he was actually rather amused by it. Ohh, I was _so_ going to kill Evans for this one.

“Oh, knock it with the handshakin’. We hug around here!” He boasted as he weaved his arms around me.

Yep. This was it. This officially took the cake.

 _“I’m hugging Chris Pratt. Holy SHIT.”_ I mouthed over to Chris. He cackled in response to my out of body fangirl experience as I buried my face into the handsome man’s neck, savoring the feeling of his big, strong body around my much smaller frame.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, Paige Harrison. Evans talks a lot of talk about you.” Pratt said, his slight southern twang presenting itself to me. He pulled away, a grin stretching across his face.  
“Oh, he does, does he?”  
Pratt’s eyes grew wide as he nodded, “Oh yeah, totally! Best friends since diapers, I hear?”

I squinted my eyes at Chris as he smiled sheepishly. I turned back to face Pratt.

“I...uhh...I l-loved you in Parks and Recreation.” I said, my tongue slightly tripping over itself as it fawned over the actor.

He was just as good-looking, if not MORE in person.

“Why, thank you! I really appreciate it!”

Was I slobbering? I hoped I wasn’t.

“Well, I should probably get back out there! I’ll see you guys around?” Pratt nodded towards the theater.

My head bobbed a quick “yes”, my eyes practically bulging from my skull at this point.

”A-absolutely!” I stammered.

Pratt placed a firm hand against my arm, leaned forward, and properly kissed my cheek, “Hey, it was so good to finally meet you!”  
“Likewise!” I said, my voice going up ten octaves.

  
As Chris and I continued to walk along the carpet, I grabbed the collar of his shirt, motioning for him to come closer as I whisper yelled, “Why the HELL would you do that??"  
“Do what?” He asked nonchalantly.  
“Let me embarrass myself in front of Hollywood’s golden boy??”  
Chris chuckled, “Ohh, you didn’t embarrass yourself too much, Pages. Trust me when I tell you that I’ve seen MUCH worse.”  
I placed a gentle hand against my cheek, relishing in the feeling that overwhelmed my senses, “Oh my God. Chris Pratt just fuckin’ KISSED ME.”  
Chris pushed a laugh through his nose, “Oh yeah?”  
In one, swift movement, he puffed his chest out and grabbed a quick hold of my arm, “And now you’re walking arm in arm with the one...the ONLY...Chris _Evans_. What do you think about that, sweetheart?"

I looked up at him and scoffed, "Don't quit your day job, buddy!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS was a hard chapter to get through. I don't know what it is, but I think I just have an issue when it comes to writing chapters with multiple people in them. Oh, I hope y'all enjoyed the mention of some Marvel peeps! I know you were REALLY waiting for that Seb and Mackie moment. Don’t worry. I gotchu, fam. As always, leave a comment or send me a message. Seriously. I'd love to hear from all my beautiful readers.  
> \- K xx


	13. Little Emotions

It had been about an hour later, and Chris had begun running around like an absolute madman, doing short interviews here and there, catching up with cast members, coming over to see us, and then leaving once more. It was dizzying to witness, but between Scott hyping up the crowd like an absolute lunatic and the casual conversations keeping me occupied for a short while, I didn’t think anything of it. The movie would be starting shortly, which meant that I had just gotten through the hardest part of the night and I was on cloud nine because of it.

I was back with Sebastian when Chris made his way over to us for the fourth time in a row, looking a bit disheveled and out of sorts.

“Hey, guys.” He said breathlessly, playing around with his cufflinks.  
I smiled sweetly, “Heeey! How’re the interviews goin’?”

He flashed the smallest smile he could muster, his eyes moving in all sorts of different directions as he began to fumble with his fingers, pulling at each one individually.

“Good...uh…yeah, it’s pretty crazy here, isn’t it?”  
My eyes pressed into him, “Yeahhh, it is...are you okay, dude?” I asked, keeping my voice so low that it was border lining a whisper.  
“Oh, yeah! Yeah. I’m fine.”  
“Okaaay…” I responded hesitantly, “Seb and I were just talking abou-“  
“Hold on, you guys, one second.” He turned to look in the opposite direction of us, almost as if he was nervously planning his escape route.  
“I’m sorry, but I’m gonna head to the restroom real quick. I’ll be right back, okay?” He placed a tender, shaking hand on the small of my back as he addressed me.  
“Okay, man, we’ll catch you in there.” Seb said, nodding his head.

What in the Hell was Chris’ deal? I was used to his anxiety by now, but this was almost unlike him. He hadn’t been drinking, I knew that for certain. After he broke away from us to join interviews, his whole demeanor changed and I wasn’t sure why. I began to worry.

“He doin’ okay?” Sebastian asked once Chris was out of earshot.  
“Uh…I’m not sure. Maybe he’s just anxious about the crowd?”  
“Ahh. Could be.”  
“I think...” I stopped a moment and looked around before continuing, “I think I’m gonna go check on him, is that okay?”  
“Yes, of course!”  
“I’ll be back in a flash! Grab me some popcorn if you guys get in there before me, okay?”  
Sebastian chuckled, “Got it, hon.”

The cast was given a small holding area in the back of the theater with private restrooms and a place to put bags and coats. I showed my special lanyard and ticket to the guard at the front and explained to him who I was. He nodded, allowing me access. I walked through the secret back entrance, my pace now closer to that of a run, heels tapping against the floor. I rapidly shot Chris a text as I found the men’s room and waited outside, telling him to meet me in the hallway. I slid my body down the concrete wall as I waited for a response.

The door opened in seconds. Chris came out and the look on his face was tell-tale. He had been crying.

“Hey, you,” I popped up from the ground, speaking calmly to him, “Doin’ okay?” I asked.  
Chris wrung his hands together.  
“Yeaaah…uh...yeah…”  
I could see the change in his behavior, his voice cracking in a way that was barely even noticeable.  
“Hey…” I spoke warmly, running my hand along the arm of his suit, “I’m here. Talk to me.”

He exhaled, tears threatening to fall from the pool of his eyes. His voice was shaky. This was the Chris that I _hated_ to see. In front of loads of people, Chris held his own, his confidence practically unwavering...but behind closed doors, the man was all kinds of sensitive and I was always there to catch the brunt of it.

“It’s kinda stupid…but…I’m really gonna miss this…these people, these fans, these vibes…all of it…” He said solemnly.

What he was getting at instantly clicked. It wasn’t the anxiety getting to him, it was the sadness.

He laughed lightly, allowing a tear or two to fall down his pink cheeks, “It’s SO lame of me to get all emotional over this kinda thing, but I just can’t help it. I’ve been tryin’ not to show it all night long. Interviews have been Hell because my stupid ass has been on the verge of crying during every single one. They keep askin’ things like, ‘how do you feel now that your experience in the MCU is coming to a close?’, and I’m like, ‘well, when you put it that way…’”  
I pouted, placing my hands against his waist, “Oh, Chrisss…”  
He brushed the back of his hand over his face as he messily attempted to wipe the tears away.  
“It’s not stupid at all. It’s actually completely understandable, from _my_ point of view, at least. This has been your life for a number of years. It’s weird for you to be moving on from it.”  
“Right.” He stated.  
“Imagine how Downey must be feelin’ right now.”  
“Oh, I know. Trust me.”

”Don’t get too much in your head about it, Lemons.” I said, my hand suddenly finding a way down to his, absentmindedly intertwining our fingers.

He nodded gently, sniffled softly, and took to the gesture, holding my hand in his.

  
“I just think you’re experiencing normal, average person things…” I said, my free hand coming up to meet his face, using my thumb to tenderly wipe just underneath his eye, “Little emotions…” I smiled, placing the same hand on his chest, just over his heart.

He looked down at me, his face softening as he reached up and held my it there, the other coming up to meet the base of my chin. I could feel the strength of his heartbeat just underneath my palm and it was racing, from what? I didn’t know for sure. He tilted my chin slightly with the tip of his thumb, leaned forward, and gently pressed his soft lips against my cheek. In response to his touch, I practically melted, reaching towards the back of his neck to stroke his hair as he held me close to him.

“Little emotions.” He said, smiling now as he murmured into my ear.  
“C-Chris…?” I asked.  
“Yes, Paige?” He pulled back.  
“I…”

I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. I could hardly even _breathe_. I didn’t know what I even wanted to say to the man, but whatever fleeting thought I had, now probably wasn’t the time to bring it up. Why was his heart racing?...And why was mine?

I sighed, “I think we should get in there. I don’t wanna miss seeing that handsome goon face on the big screen.”  
He laughed, “Ya always have somethin’ to say, don’t ya?”  
“Most of the time...” I said under my breath as we walked hand in hand out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES, MAMA. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT. It really isn't much at all, I mean, it was just a kiss on the cheek...but Paige is FINALLY admitting her feelings towards Chris and I LOVE IT. UGH.  
> \- K xx


	14. Kinda Sorta Maybe

Morning sunlight greeted me with a vengeance. After last night’s wild adventure, I wanted nothing more than to spend this day resting in the comfort of my hotel bed. Endgame was phenomenal, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t burst into a puddle of tears at the very end. Hey now, don’t get your panties in a twist, I won't be givin' out spoilers! The after party was definitely all it was cracked up to be. Drinks were passed around from person to person, and the courage I had gained throughout the night allowed me to bust some moves on the dance floor. For once in a long while, I was finally able to let loose and it felt _incredible_.

My brain was slightly foggy as I tried my best to recall all aspects of the night…that’s when it hit me like a truck on a freeway. The moment I had shared with Chris in the lobby was something I had hoped to push all the way to the very back of my brain, but as hard as I tried, I just couldn’t. What was it about that moment that made my legs feel like jello? A kiss on the cheek really wasn’t much at all. In fact, he had kissed me there before, so I knew it meant nothing. Why did I suddenly feel as if things were taking a turn between us? Was it the way my hand fit into his? The way he held me close? _God, help me._

I slid my body out of the warmth of my big bed and grabbed my cell to check the time. 9 AM on the dot. I could’ve tried to hit a few extra hours of sleep, but my mind was already wide awake, so made my way over to the bathroom and stepped in the shower. The heat of the steam was unbelievably inviting, giving my body the ease it needed to take on the day.  
When I hopped out, I checked my phone again to view my text messages…a few from Mom, a few from Janny, and one from Chris that he must’ve sent shortly after I had passed out last night.

_Open text._

**Paigey! It’s Mom! I hope ur having such a goose time!**

***goose  
*goose  
*GOOD  
Give me a call tomorrow if u can! Luv u bunches!**

_Open text._

**Hey, baby sis! I watched a stream of the event last night! Looked fun as HELL. FaceTime me ASAP.** ****

_Open text. ****_

**Pages, I had the most INCREDIBLE time with you tonight. Sleep in as long as you want to tomorrow, I have no big plans for us. I probably won’t be able to get my ass up anyway lol.**

Interesting. Well, the sleeping in thing was already shot to shit, but oh well. Calling Mom would be nice…then again, I knew I couldn’t possibly keep the Chris thing away from her…so maybe later. Janny was probably my best bet. She was older and wiser, and right now, I needed that.  
After throwing on some clothes and wrapping my hair tight in a towel, I sat cross-legged in the center of the bed and called my sister. After a few short rings, she picked up.

“Hey, baby sis!”  
“Hi, Jan, what’s up?”  
“Girl, you have beans to spill. How was the movie? Who did you meet? Tell me EVERYTHING.”  
“Oh, the entire thing was unbelievable,” I said with a genuine smile, “I met Chris Pratt.”  
“YOU DID? DUDE.”  
“He kissed me on the cheek.” I said casually, smirking with a slight glint in my eye as I waited for her response.  
“HE WHAT?? Oh my GOD, P! What did you do? What did you say? DETAILS. NOW."

We spoke for a solid twenty minutes more as I gave her a complete run-down of the night’s festivities. It wasn’t long after that the thoughts of the lobby moment made itself front and center in my mind again.

Here comes the word vomit, Paige.

“Chris was kinda upset as the event came to a close,” I said, looking down at the bedspread and tracing its elegant patterns with my eyes.  
“Oh yeah? Why?”  
“Oh, you know, with Marvel comin’ to a close for him, he just-“ I paused, getting deeply lost for a moment.  
“He what?”  
I shook my mind awake, “He was just sad about it, is all.”  
“Ahh, that makes sense. Well, fortunately, the kid’ll have new projects to look forward to soon.”  
I nodded, getting sucked in again, “Yeah, I had to help him a little when he- and then-“

Through the screen, Janny looked curiously at me, her head cocked to the side. She knew.

“Janny?” I perked up suddenly.  
“Yes, babygirl?”  
“I have to tell you something, but you have to swear on your kids GRAVES not to tell mom or dad or Mama Evans or Scott or ANYONE.”  
“Jesus, P, did you get drunk and have sex with someone? Oh my God. Was it Paul Rudd??”  
“No…worse…”  
"Sex with Paul Rudd doesn't sound THAT bad, I mean, I would-..."  
"This is serious, Janny."  
“Wait...are you fuckin’ preggo??”  
“No!” I screamed.  
“Then what?”  
“I…uhh…I think I’m kinda...sorta...MAYBE...feeling things towards…Chris…”  
“Pratt?”  
“EVANS, JANNY.”  
“OH. Ohhhhh. Things, you say…?” She said with a smirk and a seductive wiggle of her eyebrows.  
“YES, JANNY. THINGS.”  
“Wait a minute. SEXY things?”  
I groaned, shielding my beet red face with my hands, peeking between my fingers, “Don’t look at me.”  
“Oooh, I _so_ knew it! You little liar. You can’t hide shit from me.”  
“Jan, it’s TERRIBLE. I don’t know what to do. It all started when Denise mentioned the potential of _him_ feeling that way towards _me..._ I kept running into coincidences left and right...and we shared a little moment last night that I wish could’ve lasted WAY longer than it did.” I pressed my hands flat against my face and squished them in.  
“Babygirl, you have to go with whatever your gut tells you.”  
“My gut tells me that I wanna puke.”  
“Then puke, girl! Don’t hold yourself back!”

I pondered for a second. Janny always knew exactly what to say sometimes, even when she didn’t necessarily have the best way of saying it. These feelings were slowly but surely becoming too hard to deny. Luckily, I still had the entire weekend with Chris to test the waters and see if he felt the same way.

I sighed, “Maybe you’re right…”  
“About the puking, or…?”  
I threw my head back in laughter, “No, Jan! About holding back! I know I probably shouldn’t...” I said gently, picking at a frayed cuticle, “I mean, I've been best friends with the guy for forever. I shouldn’t hide something as major as this from him. It’d be wrong of me."  
“So are you going to tell him straight-up?”  
“Oh, no way, Jose! I intend on dropping hints.”  
“Like…?”  
I pealed the towel from my head and ran my fingers through my scalp, groaning, “I don’t knooow. I haven’t gotten that far.”  
“Well, whatever happens, I’m sure it’ll work out just fine. He loves you, you know. Whatever goes down, he would never let it get in the way of your friendship...and THAT'S the tea." She said, taking an imaginary mug to her mouth and taking a sip from it.  
I sighed, "I needed this, J, really, so thank you."  
Janny grinned, "Of course, dude! Let me know how it goes, I'll- shit...Liam, stopped smacking your baby sister! Ugh. I should probably go and be a mommy now. I'm so sorry, P."  
I snickered, "I understand. Send my love to the little ones!"  
"Will do! I love you, sis. You got this.”

_End call._


	15. Sebway & Big Mackie

I invited Chris to my room shortly after my call with Janny. It took a few useless attempts to get the man to pick up his phone, but I eventually was able to get through to him. The low grumbled of his yummy sleepy voice could wake me from a coma, I swear.

“Hey, you. I brought ya a coffee.” Chris said with a grin, thrusting the drink into the doorway, a brown lunch bag occupying the other hand.  
“Extra creamer? Lite sugar?”  
“But of course.” He responded, depositing himself in the living space of the room, plucking a blueberry muffin from the bag and taking a huge bite.

I sat across from him, taking a swig of my drink. The hazelnut danced between my taste buds, causing me to do a little happy wiggle. Chris chuckled in response to my shimmying.

“So Mackie texted me.” He said.  
“Yeah? About…?”  
He gently licked his fingers, clearly savoring every bit of flavor from his muffin, “Him and Seb want the four of us to go to dinner tonight."  
“That sounds like fun!” I said, pulling my knees up to meet my chest, "I could definitely use more time with the two of them."  
“He alsooo mentioned the potential of a bar hop…”  
I cocked my head, lightly fluttering my lashes, “A bar hop…?”  
Chris shrugged his shoulders up to his ears, “I mean, I think it sounds kinda cool. We've never done anything like that before. I know they have some pretty nice bars around this part of town.”

Listen. I love a good cocktail, but bars and I did NOT bode well. I don’t know why, but I always picture a dimly lit underground basement when I think of a bar. Creepy men with their stomachs bulging from their greasy shirts would ask to buy you a drink as their buddies punched holes through walls over losing a game of pool. Nothing about that sounded _remotely_ appealing to me.

“Well, I don’t know about THAT. Dinner sounds good though.” I said, pealing back the label on my paper cup.  
“C’mon, Pages. Ya never know, it could be a good time!” He said, offering the suggestion once more.  
I sighed, “Allow me some time to consider?”  
He nodded, “Fair enough.”

That night, Chris, Mackie, Seb, and I ended up at a burger and shake joint, one of the best around, Seb had said. Picture a 70’s diner on steroids. That was this place. The décor looked like it had been stripped straight out of a cartoon. The waitresses dressed in the tackiest getups; red and white stripped polos, pleated skirts down to their knees, and thick, white socks. This kind of fashion should truly be outlawed.

Our waitress came over, placing menus as big as Bibles in front of each of our faces. Conversations were immediately limited as we scanned the lengthy list of selections. As everyone had their faces buried, I took a moment to look up at Chris who was seated just across from me. God. It was criminal how long his eyelashes were for a man. They curled so elegantly against the frame of his face, the shadow of them cascading and looking so incredibly-

“Gah DAMN. Bacon wiz fries?? Count me the Hell in!” Seb exclaimed, slapping the plastic down and causing me to jump.

My eyes went back to the menu again…and then to Chris…and then back to the menu. Light bulb moment! Nothings says “I kinda sorta maybe like you” like a little teenage footsy action under the table. Simple, yet sweet. Chris was sitting the perfect distance away from me, so it was almost guaranteed to work. I casually slid my leg further across the underside of the table, gently tapping around to find him, catching something on my laces only moments later. GOT HIM. As I continued to allow my eyes to inspect up and down the menu, casually distracting myself, the toe of my sneaker graced up and down what I _thought_ was Chris’ foot. BIG mistake.

“P…uh…what in the sane Hell are you doin’, girl?” Anthony asked between a slight fit of laughter.

In an instant, I yanked my foot back and swallowed the rock that formed in my throat. Well, so much for THAT idea.

“Shit! Sorry. I thought that was the leg of the table.”  
“Yeah, yeah. SURE ya did.” Seb muttered, pressing the menu close to his face as he smirked.  
“Hey, Mack, can you move out real quick? I’m gonna head to the restroom to wash my hands. Be right back!” Chris said, sliding his way out of the booth.

Both Seb and Mackie turned their heads, following Chris as he disappeared from view. In perfect synchronization, the two turned back to me.

“Okay, P. Give us the details here. What is it we’re missing?” Sebastian asked, his eyes practically tunneling into me.  
“What are you talking about?”  
“Girl...you’re feelin’ things…REAL things…” Anthony said, dramatically smacking his lips together.

Caught red-handed. Shit.

“Guys. Please don’t say anything.” I said, worry strongly evident in my voice as my eyes darted around.  
Seb put his menu down, placing a gentle hand on my knee, “We won’t. We promise.”  
“Wait…so...this really _is_ a thing, huh?” Mackie asked.  
I sighed, biting at the tips of my thumbs and shrinking down into my seat, “Yeah…I guess you could say that…”  
A grin found its way, spreading across Anthony’s face, “Well, ain’t that just adorable? Ya know, I always _knew_ I saw somethin’ there, but I didn’t wanna pry, ya feel me?”

I nodded.

“Does he feel the same way about you? The guy’s kinda hard to read when it comes to that sorta stuff.” Sebastian piped up.  
“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure out ways to put him to the test...which is EXACTLY what I was attempting when I accidentally started playin’ footsy with Big Mackie over here!” I said, pointing a thumb his way.  
“Oh, I didn’t mind it.” Mackie chuckled, winking over to me.

I reached forward and playfully punched his shoulder.

Just then, Chris made his way back to us, wiping his hands dry on his faded jeans.

"Did I miss anything fun?" He asked warmly as he scooted back in front of me.

Seb and Mackie glanced my way, my shoulders shrugging as I answered back a little too confidently.

"Nope! Nothing at all!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love a little Seb and Mackie banter, ammiright? The next chapter is probably gonna be my absolute FAVORITE so far, so get ready, y'all. Shit's goin' down. Any guesses as to what...?  
> \- K xx


	16. What Happens Here, Stays Here

“Come on, P, it’ll be fun!”  
“No way.”  
“Bars aren’t THAT bad.”  
“They’re smelly and weird.”  
“You’ll be too drunk to remember the night anyway!”

  
Oh, if only I knew just how important that line would be later on...

Well, a bar HOP was definitely not in the cards for tonight, but after a long back and forth between the four of us, I finally choose to compromise. As per Mackie’s request, we landed at a pretty upscale bar not too far from the hotel Chris and I were staying at. To be honest, it was a lot nicer than what I had originally expected. A dance floor stood in the dead center of the room, people from all walks of life danced to house music blasting from the DJ station. Everyone seemed far too intoxicated to pay us any mind, and it was dark enough so that the boys couldn’t possibly be recognized.

Chris tapped on the ledge of the bar, “Excuse me, sir. Four vodka shots, please? And whatever these guys want.” He said, pulling his wallet out of his pant pocket.  
“Aw, man. You really don’t have to do that. _I_ invited _you_ out.” Mackie said, wrapping an arm loosely around him.  
“Nah, it’s no problem, dude! My treat!”

The small shots were handed to each of us after we ordered our individual beverages. Me being the girl that I am, I stuck with something fruity.

Sebastian held the glass between his thumb and forefinger and raised it in the air, “A shot to celebrate the end of era?”

  
“A shot to celebrate my passing of the torch to my two best buds!” Chris said with a grin as he placed firm hands on both Sebastian and Anthony’s shoulders.

  
“To me surviving my first ever movie premier! Let’s DRANK, homies!” I said, tossing my head back and taking the pungent liquid in, choking back a slight gag over the flavor that assaulted my tongue.

The evening was young and the drinks just kept comin’. I lost count somewhere between my third shot of vodka and two cranberry cocktails. Those sweet things could get you hammered without you even realizing it. Mackie soon abandoned the rest of us (as expected) to talk to some girl standing lonely in the corner of the bar. Our conversations were sporadic, mainly due to our alcohol-induced states. An hour into it and I was completely gone with the wind.

“Guys! Guys! We should DANCE!” I jumped up, nearly falling over my own two feet in the process.  
“Whoaaa there, killer.” Chris said, placing a hand around my waist and pulling me against the bar table to station my body.

I stripped away from him and leaned the full weight of my body against Sebastian’s shoulder, my arms snaking their way around him as I leaned my head against the crook of his neck.

“Paige, you’re as drunk as a skunk!” Sebastian said, grabbing a tight hold of me as I bent into him.  
“Nahhhhh. Skunks don’t get ssskunked...punked…drunk!” I said, clearly failing to get the proper sentence in, causing everyone around me to burst at the seems.  
“I think we’re gonna have to cut you off, sweetie.” Seb said between laughs, running a comforting hand through my hair. I leaned into his palm and sighed.

The warmth that radiated from his friendly touch caused me to sober up just slightly.

"You’re probably right honestly.” I giggled.

Just then, a song came on that triggered something in my brain, so I shot up from my place without even the slightest bit of warning.

“GUYS. WAIT. Oh my God, this is my JAM. We HAVE to dance now!” I said, grabbing the collar of Sebastian’s shirt.  
“Actually,” Seb said, gently prying my hands away from him, “I think I’m gonna head out, you guys. It's almost 2 AM."  
“Awww,” I pouted sadly, "Old man."  
“You okay to get home?” Chris asked, taking a quick sip of beer.  
“Yeah, I’m fine, dude.” He said, getting up from his seat, taking me, and placing me into Chris' protection.

Mackie returned to us as he saw Seb reach for his things. He came over, hand in hand with the petite blonde and booby girl he was hitting up in the corner.

“Leavin’, my guy?” He asked, placing a hand against his shoulder.  
“Yeahh, I had a great time though! Chris, thanks for buying our drinks tonight. You know you didn’t have to.” He said, offering his hand out to him and pulling him in for a proper bro hug.  
“It’s no problem at all!” Chris spoke with a slur to his words. For the first time, it dawned on me that he was also quite drunk.

As Sebastian made his way to the door, Mackie leaned in, the girl finding ANY excuse not to talk to us as she let her eyes roam the scenery.

“I was actually thinkin’ of headin’ out too, you guys…kinda got some… _BUSINESS_...to attend to…if you’re pickin’ up what I’m layin’ down…” He spoke softly, an immoral smirk plastered on his goon face.  
“Ew, ya nasty!” I exclaimed, pressing my hands against my warm cheeks.  
Chris chuckled, his eyes turning into slits, “Alrighty, man.”  
“Hey,” Mackie said, pulling Chris towards him, “Take care of that girl. Make sure she gets back safe.”

Chris nodded.

As if fate had decided this, the two of us were now left to our own devices. _Super duper._

“Chrissss…?” I asked, leaning my head against him, looking up, and sporting the most glorious set of puppy dog eyes I could gather.  
“Waaat?” He asked, looking down at me.  
“Come and dance with me…?” I asked, batting my lashes.  
“Ugh…” He looked around, placing his lukewarm drink on the counter, “Alriiiight.”

Upon him getting up from his spot, I swiftly grabbed his hand, heaving his body into mine. Chris was no stranger to the art of dance, THAT I knew. His hips moved flawlessly as he twirled me under his arm. Our feet moved in perfect tandem as I used my arms to propel my body into the motions. As Chris made his way behind me, I lowered myself to the ground, practically grinding into him. I ran my fingers through my long locks as I bopped my head from side to side. When the song came to an end, Chris’ hands stayed put at my waist, but I paid them no mind.

“Okay, guys, how's about a round of applause for the good-looking couple in the center of the floor?" The man at the DJ station called over through the microphone.

The bar was slowly beginning to empty, but a few random people passing by gave us claps and nods. Chris blushed wildly, covering his face as he laughed. I drunkenly curtsied to the mini crowd of people, trying my best not to trip over my ankles.

“Alright, this one goes out to you two. How’s about a little George Michael? I’m SURE you all know this one. We’re gonna take it slooow now. If you don’t know it, it’s called-“

Careless Whisper.

Of...fuckin'...course.

In that moment, I couldn’t help but bend over in hysterical laughter at the irony of it all.

“Hey,” Chris spoke softly in my ear now, abruptly cutting off my fit of giggles, “C’mere.” He said, giving me a direct flashback to the night at the park.

I moved closer to him and chewed the fragile skin of my lip as Chris held his hand out to meet mine.

“He dedicated this one to us, didn’t he? Might as well give it a shot, right?"

Time stopped completely as Chris and I swayed to the sensual beat of the music. His palms held onto the curve of my waist, his forehead leaning down to meet mine.

_I feel so unsure as I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor..._

I could see, despite the darkness of the bar, every wrinkle and perfect imperfection of his face. His breath kissed my nose, and I took in the warm scent of beer. We rocked back and forth, the space between us getting smaller.

_Guilty feet have got no rhythm..._

The people around us disappeared, and I wasn't sure if they actually had, if the alcohol was REALLY getting to me, or if dancing with Chris was making me feel like we were the only two people on Earth.

_Tonight the music seems so loud, I wish that we could lose this crowd..._

He spun me, placing my back to his broad chest. He took my body’s shivering response to his touch as an invitation to pull his lips distractingly close to my ear. My stomach lurched forward.

Don’t throw up. Dear GOD.

“Paige?” Chris asked, pulling me back to reality for just a short while.  
“Yes…?” I asked, breathing every inch of him in as I felt his hands drunkenly wander.  
“What do you say we get outa here?”

YES. YES. OH GOD. YES.

“Uhhh…is my best friend _really_ inviting me back to his place while Careless Whisper plays in the background…?”

Chris laughed, a slight glint in his eye that I had never taken the time to notice before as he turned me around to face him. If I had moved even a centimeter, his lips would've landed on mine.

“Kinda corny, right?”

"Slightly..." I said, my voice closer to that of a sigh, "But...I'll take it."

Chris grinned at my response, placing a hand gently against my cheek.

"Alright."

"Alright." I smiled.

_So I'm never gonna dance again, the way I danced with you..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOAAA NELLY. HERE WE GO, GUYS. Lyrics at the end are to the song, Carless Whisper, obviously. FUNNY STORY. I knew OF the song before writing this chapter, but I had never listened to the lyrics before. Turns out, they fit PERFECTLY, not just for this scene, but with Paige and Chris' whole dynamic. UGH. I have so much love for their love. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am writing it!  
> \- K xx


	17. It's A Pretty Good Bad Idea

A part of me wants to spare you the juicy details of what happened next, but that wouldn’t be too fun, would it?

As soon as we entered the hotel room, his lips crashed into mine with a force I wasn’t anticipating as he pressed me up against the closed door. My hands felt up and down the length of his torso, pulling his t-shirt up ever so slightly to expose his belly, my tongue darting in and out of his mouth. His lips tasted of pure perfection and a bit of Budweiser. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Chris toe his shoes off as we kissed, his hands quickly reaching up to pull my face even closer into his.

We moved our bodies as one, collapsing onto the bed. I positioned my legs properly, wrapping them tightly and eagerly around him. Our bodies fit together seamlessly.

As the kissing slowed, our noses innocently rubbed together.

“Hi.” He said, his voice low and sexy.  
“Hi.” I said back, my face burning brightly.  
“You…are so…beautiful.” He said between audible attempts to catch his breath.  
“I could easily say the same about you.” I said back, a smile forming as I placed a hand against his beard, relishing in the sheer pressure of his body.

He chuckled gently, placing a warm kiss against my collarbone. I exhaled sharply, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him close as he continued to pepper his lips along my neck and chest.

Our little makeout session picked up once more, his hands drawing nearer to the underside of my chest, skimming the surface of my bra. I took to it, allowing him access to what was underneath my top. As he grabbed a hold of chest, I felt a weird sensation in the pit of my gut that was way too difficult to ignore.

“I…I…” I gasped, a twinge settling into my stomach as I pulled away slightly.  
“I’m sorry, is this going too far…?” He asked, immediate concern evident in his expression.  
“No! No, not at all…” I responded almost too quickly, “I just…”  
Chris slowly removed himself from my body, keeping a hand against my face, stroking his thumb along the apple of my cheek, “You what, Paige…?”

Whatever my body was attempting to let loose finally couldn’t hold back any longer, so I pulled away with complete vigor.

“I think I’m gonna-“ I stopped short, getting up as if my life depended on it and bolting towards the safety of the bathroom.

I heaved my body onto the floor, and just as I thought...threw up into the toilet.

_Goddamn fruity drinks._

I hadn’t noticed that Chris followed me in, grabbing my hair in his hand as I let my stomach rage.  
“No, stop, get back!” I said, waving my hand behind me in a failed attempt to get him to leave me in my alcoholic pit of agony.  
“It’s just a little throw up, sweetheart, not a crime scene. I can handle it.”

I pulled away, wiping my mouth, my stomach now very empty. I plopped my butt back on the tiles after flushing the toilet and took a long breath in.

“I’m sorry…” I said shamefully, hanging my head.  
He moved the strands of hair that stuck to my face as he spoke to me, “What are you sorry for?”  
“Ruining the moment, I guess.”  
“Hey…” He said, his body bending down next to mine, “It’s fine, honey. Please don’t apologize when you have no reason to.” He spoke sweetly to me, grabbing a gentle hold of my arm.  
He got up for a second a filled a tiny paper cup with ice cold water.  
He handed it to me, “Here. Drink this. Wash your mouth of the taste.”  
“Stupid alcohol.” I said, taking a sip and shuddering as it slid down my sour throat.  
Chris chuckled, looking down at me, “Maybe we should’ve cut you off a little sooner, huh…?”  
“Ugh…my head hurts…” I moaned, sliding my hand down my face as I leaned my head up against the wall.

Chris leaned closer and slid my body into his arms, lifting my body from the ground.

“What’re you doooing? Where are you takin’ meee?” I asked, my brain swimming as I came down from my drunken high.  
“I'm putting you to bed.” He said simply.  
“You could’ve just left me in there, you know. You don’t have to do this.” I protested, leaning my temple against the front of his shoulder.  
Chris laughed, “If I leave you in there, you’ll probably fall asleep in the bathtub.”  
“Maybe I want to!” I said as he put me under the covers, “This is your room, Chris.”  
“Shhh,” He responded as he tucked the blanket safetly around my body, “Sleep, okay?”  
I wiggled, “I feel like a burrito.”  
He chuckled, pressing a loving kiss against my sweaty forehead, “Sleep tight, burrito.”

As soon as my head conformed against the pillow, sleep took a strong hold of me and I drifted.

_Goddamn drunkeness._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is loosely inspired by the song Bad Idea from the musical Waitress! Yes, not only is ya gurl a Marvel nerd, but a Broadway nerd as well! Pretty solid combo if you ask me.  
> \- K xx


	18. Yep, I'm Into You

The curtains of my eyelids pulled up to reveal the vibrant morning glow, sunshine cascading in a perfect line across the bed.

Fuck, it’s bright and EVERYTHING hurts.

A headache quickly found its way to me, starting at the base of my neck and moving upwards. I groaned, pressing the tips of my fingers into my temples in attempt to massage the creeping pain away. I couldn’t take the sun any longer, so I surrendered, slowly turning to face away from the window.

That was when his sleeping face came into view. His mouth stood slightly ajar as his breath blew lightly against my cheeks. His chest was bare. I gasped gently, slapping a hand against the circle of my mouth.

Chris. SHIT.

_Had we…??_

I swallowed hard, my eyes bugging out, looking around the room to see if there was any evidence of the matter. I looked down at myself, my body still sporting the same outfit from last night. That seemed promising enough. I turned back to see the man next to me, snuggled like a baby under the covers.

God, he looked illegally gorgeous sleeping. THAT, I simply couldn’t ignore. The flat of his hand pressed against his cheek and his shoulders rose and fell with ease as he took steady breaths. His lips were so slick and desirable. The prominent line of his jaw was further emphasized by the light in the room.

I slowly removed myself from the bed, hoping that the shift of my weight wouldn’t wake the sleeping beauty. My toes hit the floor with a thud, and I padded around as I made my way to the bathroom to examine myself.

My face looked a mess, that was for sure. Mascara stains pressed against the bags under my eyes. I must not have put myself to bed last night. It was then that I realized the aftermath of our little bar escapade, tasting it immediately in my mouth. I definitely had thrown up last night. I cringed at the thought, rinsing my morning breath with the icy taste of mouthwash. I pulled the collar of my shirt down slightly to check for hickeys. None. Good.

As I made my way back to the room, Chris was still dead asleep.

Well. I couldn’t just leave him with no explanation. I slunk back down under the covers, pulling the white sheets up over my body. Suddenly, I heard a moan from the opposite side of the bed. I turned to view the cause of the noise, and Chris was slowly waking up. He pressed his hands against his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. I bit my lip as I waited for his response to me laying so close to him.

As he looked over, his smile was instant.

“Hey, you.” He said, his hand reaching towards my face. I caught it in the nick of time, my eyes digging for answers as I slowly pushed his advances back.  
“Chris… _did we_ …?” I asked, hoping to God he knew what I was getting at so I wouldn’t have to say the words.  
He chuckled, blush slinking up on him, “I might’ve been drunk last night, but I never take advantage of women like that. You know this, Pages.”

I exhaled, willing to calm the racing of my heart.

“We did…uh…kiss though…” He said slightly hesitantly.  
“I sorta figured,” I sighed.  
“Well…you ACTUALLY figured we did more than that…” He pointed out, smirking a little.

I flipped to lay on my back and stared up at the ceiling. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chris prop himself up on his elbow and I could feel his eyes on me.

I turned my head, “What?” I snapped, his very presence putting me on edge.  
Chris sighed deeply, running a hand through his beard, “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

Chris and I had sleepovers as kids where we slept in the same general vicinity, but THIS was different. I must’ve been pretty damn drunk last night to gain the confidence to kiss him…unless _he_ had kissed _me_. Just then, it all came flooding back…the dancing in the bar, the subtle grinding, Carless Whisper, him asking to take me home, the kissing against the doorway and in the bed and…the toilet vomit.

Nice, Paige. Well done.

“Come on. We should probably get you some breakfast to cure that hangover.” He said suddenly.  
“DON’T remind me.” I said, forcing my achy body to get out of the bed.

He did so with ease. Huh. He must not have been in nearly as bad a shape as I was. Typical of him.

The two of us threw ourselves together and hauled a cab over to the nearest diner. We sat down at an empty booth, the waitress immediately filling our mugs with coffee fresh enough to awaken the sense. 

“So.”  
“So.”  
My finger traced the rim of my mug, staring into the dark liquid for any trace of what to say next.  
I looked up.  
“It’ll never happen again, Paige. We were drunk, and I-“  
“I like you.”  
His face was puzzled, “Huh…?”

My eyes widened. Oh shit. Oh no. _Had I just…??_

“I-“  
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying…?”  
My face turned raspberry red, everything around me giving off a heat that made my entire body feel like an ice pop in the dead of summer.  
“I don’t know…I just-…I’ve noticed some things as of recently…”  
“Things…?” He asked, his face showing very little expression, which gave me more of a reason to be nervous.  
“Yes…things…”

A beat passed between us.

“ _SMUTTY_ things…?” Chris asked, a tantalizing grin beginning to spread across that handsome face as he emphasized the new word added to his vocabulary.  
I smacked my tongue against the roof of my mouth as I chucked a packet of orange marmalade his way, hitting him in the chest with it.  
“You ass! This is serious!”  
He laughed, his eyes burrowing into me as he folding his hands on the table, “I’m sorry, I apologize…please, continue.”  
“The night that you asked me to go to the premier with you…a weird part of me thought that you were going to ask me out on a date or something…and as worried as I was for it, I’m realizing now that I actually WANTED you to…”  
“Huh.” He voiced, his eyes squinting.

I was suddenly way too aware of the situation I had put myself in by saying that, and I wished I hadn’t said anything at all.

“Well, to tell you the truth,” He started, moving his eyes shyly away from me for a moment, “A part of me wanted something to happen that night…I knew it was _highly_ unlikely, but the park gave off these vibes and the music was playing and-“  
“You WANTED something to happen…?” I asked.  
“Paige,” He began in a tone that was unexpectedly very serious, “When I went away on the press tour, it gave me a lot of time to think…”  
“Oh…?” I asked, pulling the mug to my lips, giving my brain something different to focus on.  
“Yeah...I’ll be honest, and I’m sure you’ll agree with me here, I’m no stranger to being single at this point.”  
I chuckled, “Well, THAT’S for sure.”  
“Hey. Shush, P. My turn to speak.”  
I nodded, signaling for him to continue.  
“I feel as if-…like we-…”

My eyebrows furrowed towards him as I took a generous sip of coffee.

“I feel like the world is pushing me towards you.”

I choked. _Literally_.

“Shit. Are you okay??” He asked in a way that led me to believe he was just seconds away from jumping up and smacking me hard on the back.  
I nodded my head between rough hacks, drawing a bit of attention to myself in the full dining room.  
“Wrong pipe?”  
I nodded again, taking a quick sip of water to ease the coughing fit I was in.  
After I was able to calm my body’s unnecessary spasm, I took a breath and began to laugh.  
“Leave it to ME to start DYING while we’re trying to have a very serious conversation. Jesus CHRIST.” I exclaimed as he laughed with me, clutching at his chest.

Another uncomfortable beat.

“So.”  
“So.”  
“What does this all mean exactly…?” I asked, nerves causing the butterflies in my stomach to start a riot.  
“Well.”  
“Well?”  
He looked into his lap, almost in avoidance of the situation. Me too, buddy. Me too.  
“I spent a lot of time thinking about you, Paige. Like. A LOT. I kept wondering what it would be like to kiss you, full on, no holding back…granted, I definitely didn’t expect it to happen while we were drunk, but I can’t deny the fact that I liked it…”

  
My eyes refused to look anywhere else but at him at this point, drinking in every single word that dripped from his mouth.

  
“I would fantasize about you a lot...about US...I don't know why, but seeing you in person just solidified it more...and at the premier, you were so beautiful...Hell...you ARE beautiful, Paige...and I just-"

Without even thinking about it, I propeled myself all the way forward and pressed my lips eagerly onto his from across the table. They were warm and engaging, my sober self taking in every aspect of what she had missed out on the night before. I'd use the term "sparks flew", but that's so overdone. This was more like BOMBS going off. He pressed his lips back into mine, clearly recipricating the gesture.

_Finally._

The gentle clearing of someone's throat ripped us away from the clouds. The waitress stood over us and stared. We stared back.

  
“Uh…welll...I think you two have decided on what you'll be havin'!" She said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the wait, you lovely humans! I hope this one was well worth it. So Paige and Chris are FINALLY a thing. Good gracious. It only took them like twenty chapters so I could properly give them exposition. 😂  
> \- K xx


	19. Gettin' Used to It

The hangover was subsiding minute by minute, especially after comfortably filling myself with a large stack of buttery pancakes and a heap of greasy bacon. Before heading out, Chris stretched his hand out for me to take. I accepted it graciously and grinned up at him as he led me out of the booth.

As we made our way through the door to catch our ride, I noticed that our hands were still linked together.

“So…is _this_ a thing now?” I asked, lifting his hand held in mine for him to view and shaking it around vigorously.  
He grinned, pressing a gentle kiss against each of my knuckles, “Well. I _do_ recall you saying something back there about you ‘liking’ me.” He said, emphasizing the air quotes.  
I laughed, “Oh, pardon my mentality of a twelve-year-old. It was the first thing that popped into my brain!”  
“Sureee it was.”

The journey back to the hotel was filled with a comfortable silence this time. Nothing felt as if it was left unsaid, smiles permanent on our faces as we enjoyed the simplicity of just being next to each other. When we finally found our way back to the entrance of my hotel room, we stood hand in hand at the doorway, smiling like a complete pair of love-struck goons.

“So what’s up next?” I asked, swinging our arms back and forth.  
“Well, I did promise you sight-seeing, so I figured we’d do a little of that, considering the fact that we leave tomorrow…walk around, go in shops, maybe visit-“  
“OH MY GOD. Can we go to Little Valley so I can get chocolates?!” I burst out, my eyes widening with a sense of childish excitement as I bounced on the balls of my feet.  
Chris chuckled gently, “Of course we can, sweetheart.”  
“Okay.” I smiled, running my thumb along his.  
“Okay.” He said back, placing a hand behind my neck and pulling us nose to nose.  
“Ya know somethin’?” I asked.  
“What?”  
“I don’t think I’ve EVER been this close to your face before.” I said between giggles.

He crossed his eyes in response, earning a few more giggles out of me. I took my hand to his cheek, stroking his soft skin as he rubbed his nose against mine. As he went to place a kiss against my lips, I unknowingly turned my head ever so slightly, causing his lips to plant themselves on the side of my chin instead.

“Shit. I suck at this.” I said quickly, awkward laughter escaping me.  
He chuckled and recovered the gesture by moving my head into place and kissing me deeply.  
When he pulled back, I sighed deeply and bite down on the center of my lower lip.  
“It _miiight_ take me a while to get used to that.” I said between deep breaths, running my hand down the base of his shirt.  
He chuckled, “Likewise.”

The two of us parted ways and were to meet back a little bit after noon. After showering and putting on a much nicer ensemble, I shot a text to my mom, apologizing for leaving her hanging the day before and telling her I was free for a call.

It was nice to hear her voice. She told me about all the “fun” I had missed back at the diner, and I told her about the craziness of the premier and our night on the town with Anthony and Sebastian. As hard as it was for me, I made a very conscious decision not to tell her about Chris and I. That would be a discussion better had in person.

Chris and I soon met in the lobby, Tanya following right behind.

“Tanya’s gonna stick around with us, I hope that’s okay.” Chris said, reaching for my hands and giving them each a gentle squeeze.  
“Of course it’s okay!”  
“Don’t worry, hon. You won’t even know I’m here.” Tanya piped up, “I just gotta make sure this one doesn’t get hounded by people.” She said nodding in Chris’ direction.  
I giggled lightly, slowly pulling my hands away from Chris and sticking them to my sides.  
As we walked out to catch a ride, Tanya pulled me next to her, smirking down at me, the click of her heels being emphasized by the bounce in her step.  
“And don’t worry about the hand-holding either, Chris told me EVERYTHING.” Punctuating the sentence with a smirk and a wink.  
“Ohh, that little asshole…” I muttered, unable to hold back from grinning.

Our first stop on this beautiful day was to go downtown and visit a few shops. The strip of stores that lined the town varied from expensive, to mall brand, to antique. We approached a run-down costume shop a little ways down and went inside.

“How does this one look?” I asked Chris, popping out from behind a tall rack of hats.  
Chris snorted, “It looks like something they found at the bottom of the ocean.”  
I swapped the old worn cap for something a little more festive; a straw floppy beach hat with a giant peacock feather attached to the side.  
“How about this one?”  
Chris grabbed the other hat from my hand and placed it on his head, “Now THAT one is more you.”

Tanya stayed back about a block as Chris and I continued to go about our business, popping in and out of stores, browsing, and just enjoying each other’s company.  
Chris was definitely a lot less recognizable to the public with his full beard and “disguise”, so we were able to walk around with an ease I certainly wasn’t expecting in the crowded L.A. streets.

“LOOK!” I pointed quickly, causing Chris to jump.  
“Jesus, Pages. Tryin’ to give me a heart attack?”  
“IT’S LITTLE VALLEY. OH MY GOD. I’VE DREAMT OF THIS PLACE.”  
Chris burst into laughter, his eyes squinting against the sun as he slapped himself across the chest.  
I grabbed his arm as we got closer, “Shit. It’s even bigger than I thought it would be!”  
Chris pointed his eyes down at me and arched his brow seductively.  
“Oh, stop it!” I said, smacking the back of my hand against his shoulder.

We spent about an HOUR in that place, and I don’t think either one of us could complain. Upon entering, we were immediately greeted with samples of gourmet dark chocolate chunk fudge and party cake white chocolate bites, both of which were better than anything Hershey could conjure up. The smells coming from the chocolate machines assaulted our noses, causing my hormonal cravings to run wild. Needless to say, I left the place with a happy belly and a full bags worth of treats.

Our next stop was a boardwalk near the water. It was about a half hour away, but Chris promised it would be worth it to see the sun setting over the ocean.

“I’m starved, Lemons. We should probably grab a bite to eat.” I said, rubbing circles around my stomach.  
“Oh, this place right down here has the BEST pizza.” Chris said as we neared a small shop.  
“Better than Luigi’s?” I asked.  
Chris sucked in a breath, “Welllll.”  
“See? NOTHING beats Luigi’s. I’ve ALWAYS said this.”  
Chris chuckled, “Okay, but it’s pretty damn close.”  
We ordered our individual slices, a plain slice for me and a meat lovers for him. Chris reached for his wallet.  
“Ohh, nonono ya don’t!” I said, grabbing a tight hold of his hand before he could grasp at his back pocket.  
“What?” He asked, “I don’t mind paying.” He stated simply.  
“I know _you_ don’t mind, but _I_ do. You’re not paying, Christopher Robert.”  
“Oh, yes I am,” He said, quickly removing myself from him, stealthily grabbing his wallet, and sliding his card over to the woman at the counter.  
I groaned, “Chrisssssy…”  
He looked down at me, a gentle grin on his face, “What?”

Jesus. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to resist that smile.

“I can’t stand you.” I mumbled.  
He wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled me to his side, kissing my temple.  
“I’d say otherwise.”

The hunger in our stomachs was too much to bear, so the pizzas were gone within minutes. Although it wasn’t better than the pizza place of our hometown, I can say with confidence that it was certainly up there. The day was drawing to a close and the sun was edging on setting. The two of us walked down a rickety wooden path to a secluded corner of the beach.  
When we found a shady spot, I popped my butt into the sand and toed off my flip flops, ignoring the sensation of the sand creeping its way into my shorts. Chris followed my motions and did the same, taking his sneakers and socks off and setting them to the side. I leaned my head against the base of his shoulder and looked out into the open ocean. All was quiet and right with the world. I felt comfort in his presence. For the first time in a long time, I felt complete.

“So.” I stated, breaking the silence all of a sudden.  
“So?”  
“Was this a date…?” I asked.  
Chris grinned, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, “Only if _YOU_ wanted it to be.”  
I looked up at him and squinted, “I think we BOTH know the answer to that, silly goose.”  
He chuckled and nodded his head, “Then yes, yes it was.”

I sighed, playing with the hem at the bottom of Chris’ pant leg.

Minutes passed. We continued to stay like that, his arm holding me tightly against him, his fingers gently smoothing down my hair as it whipped in the breeze.

“So does that mean that we...?” I began, looking up at him once more.  
“Again,” He started, looking away for just a moment, a grin finding its way to his face, “If _YOU_ want to be.”  
“Lemons, seriously,” I said, pulling his face towards mine, “Do you-…I mean, will this-…”

I paused, unable to figure out how to put my thoughts into words. I was cut off by a kiss to the lips, his pure warmth causing me to shudder.

“Can we really make this work…?” I asked as we pulled away.  
He ran his hand along my cheek as he spoke gently to me, his eyes never leaving mine, “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, Paige. I’ve _BEEN_ ready. I’ve just been waiting for _YOU_.”

My heart leapt into my throat.

“So…so…you really do-“  
“Yes, Paige Harrison! I like you! I really, truly like you!” He exclaimed, rolling onto his back, hitting the sand with a thump, and tossing his balled up socks up in the air like confetti.

I giggled at his idiotic motions and joined him, my back pressing against sun-warmed sand.

“I just wanted to hear you say it.” I said with a smile.


	20. All Vacations Must Come to an End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in a day?? Unheard of! Hello again, my readers! I'm trying my best to get back into this story. I never wanna lose interest in my plots or my characters, but I've had a LOT of different ideas for fics running around in my head lately. I have a few one-shots and shorter stories planned, so I'm hoping they come to fruition in the next few days or so!  
> \- K xx

California came, saw, and in more ways than one, it  _definitely_ conquered. It was Monday morning, and after enjoying our day together, it was time to say our farewells to the sunshine, beaches, and bliss. I'd miss this place.

“Coffee for a gorgeous girl?” Chris opined upon entering my room that morning, shooting a takeaway cup my way in his outstretched hand.  
I took a savory sip and smiled with my eyes, “Just the way I like it, of course.”  
Chris sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to stand in front of him.  
“Do you need help with your bags, sweetheart?” He asked, pulling the backs of my thighs to position me closer to him.  
“Nah, I’m pretty sure I can manage.” I said, pushing his hair back, leaning down, and placing a kiss against his forehead, "Did you say goodbye to Scarlett?" I asked.  
"Yeah," He said, "She'll be staying just a little while longer. She has a job she’s working on not too far from here. She says it was great to see you again.”

”Aww, that’s sweet. It was great to see her too!” I voiced, taking sip of my drink, “You know, we never ended up going to that Italian place she suggested.”

”Shhhit. You’re right.”

I smirked slightly and pointed a finger towards him, “Might wanna give her my contact info. She owes me a date.”

Chris eyed me up and down for a moment, his expression unidentifiable, “Put the coffee down for a sec.”  
My eyes questioned him, “Why…?”  
“Just do it.”

I did as I was told, placing the coffee on the dresser next to me. Without a warning, Chris scooped me into his strong arms and threw my body onto the bed.

“Shit, dude!” I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around his neck as his much larger body leaned over mine.  
He chuckled as he placed an endless series of kisses against both of my cheeks.  
“Chris! Stop! I have to finish getting ready!” I squealed.  
He paused a moment, “Well, now that you’ve got me kissin’ you, I simply can’t stop."

I placed my hands against his chest, attempting with all of my strength to move his body off of mine as the kissing continued. His lips slid from the flats of my cheeks to the space behind my ears. I clenched my jaw in eager attempts not to give in.

“Your…body…is…crushing…ME.” I said between squirms, my legs flailing rapidly.  
He chuckled, moving off to the side, allowing my body to lay flat, “Better?”  
I exhaled deeply and dramatically, “MUCH.”

As soon as I finished packing my bags, it was time to head out. Before Chris, Scott, Tanya, and I made our official way back to the homeland, Sebastian and Anthony met us at the airport to send us on our way.

“I’ll be seeing you guys soon, I’m sure!” Chris said, pulling each into a warm, brotherly hug.  
“Duh, dude!” Mackie noted, patting Chris on the back.  
“Paaaige,” Seb exclaimed, pouting slightly as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest, “It was SO good to see you.”  
“It was good to see you too, Seb!” I said back, relishing in the warmth of his torso.  
He rocked the two of us back and forth as he spoke, “You know, I’ll ACTUALLY be taking a short trip to Boston in the coming months for a super secret project, so you won’t be getting rid of me THAT easily.”  
I pulled away and gasped. He smiled. I hugged him tighter.  
"Ah! That’s great news, Seb! We'll definitely have to plan something!"

Sebastian gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek as we pulled away. I then headed over to Mackie.

“You little rascal, I’ll miss you the MOST!” He said, picking me up and spinning me around in his arms.  
"Maaack, I'll miss you MORE!"  
Tanya checked her watch, “I’d hate to cut this short, but we should get goin’, you guys. Planes don’t wait for ANYONE.”

We nodded, exchanging sad smiles at one another as we said our last goodbyes.

As we made it halfway down the hall, Mackie called out after us.

“Hey, P!”  
I spun around in response to my name.  
“Congratulations, by the way!” He said with a playful smirk and a couple of tell-tale winks.

That little shit had told EVERYONE, hadn’t he??

I smiled, shamelessly blushing as I nodded in his direction, bidding him farewell.

As we made our way down with our baggage in tow, Scott pulled up next to me, leaning down to meet my level.  
“Uhhh. What did Anthony mean by ‘congratulations’? I’m sensing something. There’s something you’re not telling me. Are you pregnant? Is it Paul Rudd’s?” He rattled off quickly.  
I threw my head back and laughed, “You’ve been talking to Janny, haven’t you?!” I exclaimed.  
“Her and I have communicated a few times this weekend, yes…just keepin’ each other posted…ya know...?”  
“She didn’t say anything to you, did she?”  
“She said she’s under a ‘secret sister oath’ or something, so I know as much as a polar bear in Canada right now.”  
I bit down on my lip, unable to contain a smile as Scott poked me in the side.  
“What’s going on, Paigey? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to…but…I’d certainly appreciate it.” He said with a goofy grin.

I stopped walking and pulled Scott close, whispering my little secret in his ear.

“WHAT? NO WAY. NO. WAY.” He stopped walking too, exclaiming for all the world to hear as he threw his hands into the air.  
“Shhhhush!” I exclaimed, bursting into giggles as I pinched his arm.  
Chris’ head snapped over his shoulder, giving his brother a smirk as he stood with his mouth wide open in shock.  
“Oh my good God, Paige…are you for real…?” He asked, keeping his voice much lower this time.  
I smiled, my cheeks turning fifty shades of red, “Yeah, we’re gonna give this a shot. I mean, it’s been a long time comin’…don’t you think?”  
Scott laughed, “THAT’S FOR SURE.”  
“God damn it, Scott, could you be any louder?!” Chris snapped back with a laugh as we continued on our way.  
“Paigey poo, I’m so happy for you. Truly. You and my jackass of a brother just make sense together.” He said with a grin.  
I smiled to myself.  
"We do make sense, don't we?"


	21. Game of Phones

Just as expected, I was to return to work that Tuesday. Joe desperately wanted me to work Monday night upon my return, but there was no way I’d be letting that happen given how exhausted I knew I’d be. I was fortunate enough to work an easy shift though. Tuesdays were rarely busy, so I could daydream about my weekend with Chris for as long as I damn well pleased.

As I stood behind the counter, I heard my phone buzz gently in my pocket. I looked both ways before slipping it out and checking to see who had texted me.

**It’s only been A DAY without seeing you and I already miss that beautiful face. How is that even remotely possible?**

I smiled down at the phone kept low by my lap, my cheeks burning as the skin of my face stretched with a smile.

**Wow, and here I was thinkin’ you’d be tired of me by now!**

**Never! How’re you, gorgeous? How’s work?**

**Eh. Same old. Not busy tho. Hence the texting.**

**Oooh, texting during work? Bad girl! ;)**

I bit my lip hard and my eyes flickered up to see if anyone around me had noticed the hard to hide expression on my face. Without giving it a second thought, I texted back.

 **Bad girl? Is that what you’re into?**  
_Send._

I swallowed hard and stuffed my phone in my waistband, occupying my mind with the pouring of drinks as I waited for his response to my flirtatious advances.

 _Buzz._  
**Ya caught me. Hopefully not a turn-off…?**

  
My fingers typed with vigor and I couldn’t stop them now.

  
**A turn-ON actually.**  
_Send._

A few agonizing moments later, my phone sounded again, this time with a picture attached to the text.

There he was, gloriously topless in bed. The covers tugged down to slightly expose the skin of his chest. An arm popped his head up as he looked into the camera longingly, a small pout plastered on his irresistible lips.

  
**Be a good girl and leave work to come lay with me? I’m AWFULLY lonely over here.**

Oh, fucking Hell. This man knew how to get to me in ways I didn’t even think possible.

For some reason, the weekend I spent with Chris had changed something in me and I had gained a bit of sexual confidence from our slightly scandalous escapades. Typically, a granny bra and period panties were my “go-to” during a long work shift, but on this day, I chose a sexy push-up with matching laced panties. Fashion over comfort was very much unlike me.

An intrusive thought crossed my mind for a millisecond.  
Well, ditching work was totally out of the question, but a little teasing…?

I took a deep breath, examining my surroundings. I don’t know why Joe had four servers on for today, but a single table occupied the dining area and it wasn’t mine. Most of the workers were secretly texting in the corners, or finding ways to make it look as if they were keeping busy. The register up at the front was occupied. It really wouldn’t be wrong of me to take a little “pee” break.

Am I really about to go and do this during a damn work shift??

  
I took a second look at the picture Chris had sent. My eyes scanned the length of his bare torso, practically drooling over the ripple of his pecs.

  
Yes. Yes I am.

“Hey, Jeff? I’m gonna go to the restroom, so don’t throw any tables my way while I’m gone.”  
“Like we’ll have any in the span of five minutes.” My coworker responded with a dramatic roll of his eyes, going back to whatever busywork he was putting himself through.  
“Right.” I nodded pointedly, scurrying over to the staff bathroom.

  
Once the coast was clear, I locked the door and held my phone in the palm of my hand. My eyes looked up at the mirror as I lifted my shirt ever so slightly to expose just above my belly button.

I was slightly curvy for a petite girl, but my tummy was flat and cute. I wasn’t exactly what people would call “womanly”, but I wasn’t “boyish” either. An in-betweener, I suppose you could say.

  
Well. Here goes nothing.

  
I took the camera and faced it towards me, lowering it just enough so that only my chin was visible. I snapped a quick picture of my stomach slightly exposed out of my work shirt.

  
Jesus. That angle makes me look like a SPUD.

  
_Delete._

I lifted my shirt again, farther up this time, exposing the bra I was sporting. My tits didn’t look too shabby in this thing, so I might as well include them, right?  
_Snap._

Better…but how was I to compete with HIM? I tried different poses and different angles, each better than the last, but still not worthy enough for his eyes. By the tenth picture, I wasn’t sure if it was my own lack of confidence that kept me from deciding on what to send, or the fact that I was sending anything at all.

  
We hadn’t even been dating for a WEEK…but then again, HE had sent something first, and it wasn’t like he HADN’T seen my undergarments before. When we got back from the beach the night we made our status “official”, things got a little hot and heavy in the hotel room, so this certainly wasn’t new territory.

  
Stop being a pussy, Paige. Send the boy a pic.

I finally landed the perfect shot, a picture exposing both my tummy and my chest, my lips shown in the corner of the screen, upturned into a small and sensual smirk.

  
**Teasing me during work? Two can play it THAT game.**  
_Send._

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, causing my phone to fly out of my hands and against the hardwood with a crash.  
“I’ll be out in just a minute!” I voiced, scrambling to pick my phone back up and make it to the door.

  
The instant I walked out of the room, I was immediately put back to work. As unexpected as it was, a few tables had actually filled up in the short span that I was gone, which meant that I had to leave my phone unattended for a while. It was hard to focus as I worked, knowing what it was that I had just sent to Chris. What if he doesn’t even respond? What if it’s too much? What if he doesn’t like it? What if-

  
_Buzz._

  
The feeling in my pant pocket startled me in the midst of taking an order, but I shook it off as best as I could, scribbling nonsense onto the pad. Once I was finished, I shot the table a smile and went behind the counter to check my phone. I’m a GREAT employee, aren’t I?

  
**PAIGE NICOLE. YOU’RE DATING CHRIS AND U DIDN’T TELL ME? WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?? I NEED DETAILS RIGHT THE FUCK NOW.**

  
It was Janny. Ugh, she was the last person I wanted to see pop up on my screen right now. Scotty must’ve let something slip from his loose lips. You can’t tell the kid ANYTHING without the expectation that it’ll be told to everyone around him almost immediately. I made a mental note to call my sister later that night…and eventually yell at Scott the next time I see him.

As I began dishing out plates to the same table, my phone sounded again. This HAD to be Chris. As I came back around the corner of the counter, I checked my phone a second time.

**Holy shit, babe. Did you hide in the bathroom to take that??**

  
I let a breath out of my nose as I texted back, my fingers speeding over the screen.

  
**Maaaybe…I mean, with what YOU sent, I just couldn't help myself. ;)**  
_Send._

  
_Buzz._  
**God damn. You’re fucking gorgeous.**

Success!

We continued to tease each other throughout my shift. It was different for me, but a good kind of different. I wasn’t used to being viewed in such a sexual light and in such a respectful manner. As I left the building and headed to my car, I heard my ringer go off. It was Chris.

"Hello?"  
“You saucy, little thing!” He exclaimed immediately.  
I blushed wildly, exhaling a laugh, “I’ll take that as a compliment towards my photography skills…?”  
“Uh. You bet your ASS. I damn near passed out when I opened that picture earlier. Not to mention the fact that you really know how to leave a guy wanting more." He chuckled shamelessly and I could imagine him running his hand down the back of his neck as he spoke.  
I rolled my eyes, “Well, to be honest, it took me a few good tries to get it right, BUT I was feeling pretty confident by the tenth one or so.”  
“Hey,” He said gently, the tone in his voice flipping a drastic switch, “You’re beautiful. You’re body is beautiful. I hope you know that, and I hope you know that you didn't have to send that picture if you didn't want to. If what I sent was too much, Paige, I apologi-"  
I shook my head and laughed briefly as I climbed into the front seat of my car, "Oh, no, I greatly appreciated it, and I wanted to send you a little something in return for it. Work was boring me and you made it interesting."  
He chuckled, "Well then, I liked it too...and I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime..."  
“Yeaaah, well, to tell you the truth, I _might_ be better at it all in person.” I admitted sheepishly, giggling lightly.  
“Well, ya did ME in, THAT’S for sure.” He said, the smirk in his voice evident through the speaker.


	22. On This Lovely Bella Notte

**You, me, my place for dinner?**

Chris had sent me a text invite to a nice dinner during my Saturday errand run. Luckily, I had no set plans, so I immediately responded with an enthusiastic ‘yes’. He then told me to dress nice, which led me to believe the man had something stuffed up his sleeve. I didn’t ask questions and just did as I was told, grabbing the first, fancy ensemble I could find; a black and white, slim fitting cocktail dress and a pair of strappy, black heels.

As I entered his place, as expected, I was immediately taken aback by what greeted me. The lights were set to low and tea lights lined the countertops and shelves in the hallway leading all the way down to the kitchen. Dodger came bounding over to me as he heard the door open, jumping up on his two back paws and scratching his nails against my bare knees.

“Woah, buddy!” I exclaimed, crouching down to meet his level.  
As I ran my hands through his fur, I noticed a small, black bowtie around his neck.  
“Ohhh my goodness, Dodgey boy. What in the WORLD has your daddy done? You look like a little butler!” I said between a fit of giggles, admiring the dapper doggy in front of me.

As I closed the door behind me, the toe of my heel caught on to something smooth and slippery. I looked down and noticed red rose petals littering the floor. Well, THIS would be a bitch to clean up, but I admired the man’s serious attention to romantic detail.  
Fresh cooked garlic wafted from the dining room and straight into my nostrils, and the soft strumming of a guitar could be heard over the radio. I walked down the hall and into the kitchen.

“Christopher Evans, what the Hell is all of this?” I asked as I continued to marvel at my surroundings.  
Chris stood right in front of the stove, plucking a warm loaf of garlic bread straight out of the oven. He looked up at me and grinned.  
“It’s an Italian restaurant!” He exclaimed, spreading his arms wide open.  
A smile found its way to my face, moving all the way from left to right.  
“You’re INSANE.” I opined, coming over to wrap my arms around him.  
He took my gesture, wrapped his strong arms around my waist, and leaned down to press his lips against my forehead.  
“For YOU.” He said sweetly, nuzzling his nose into my hair.  
“This doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that we missed out on our Italian in L.A.?” I asked, my head tilting to the side as my eyes questioned him.  
“Wellllll. Yeaaah.” He admitted, looking down at his feet as I moved away from him for a moment.  
I laughed warmly, “Well, we’ll have to see how this matches up to a five-star restaurant. What’s on the menu tonight, chef?” I asked, peeking underneath the pots and pans on the stovetop.  
“Chicken parm and pasta. A classic dish.” He said professionally as he straightened his back.  
“Ahhh. I like the way you think.” I said, turning back to him.  
“You look beautiful, sweetheart.” He admired, his eyes scanning the length of my body, “VERY beautiful.”  
I curtsied in response, the tightness of my dress causing me to nearly fall over. He laughed.

He was wearing a light blue button down and tie, the shirt hugging his body perfectly, tightening right around his biceps and chest. It left little to the imagination, practically causing me to salivate.

“Please, take a seat!” He said, pulling a chair out for me and motioning for me to sit.  
“I never knew you were such a gentleman, Evans. God, your fans would fall to their knees if they saw this. The bowtie on the dog was a solid touch, might I add.” I said, putting a cloth napkin on my lap and smoothing it down.  
Chris chuckled, putting our perfectly portioned dinners out in front of our seats.  
We sat facing each other as he then reached to the side, grabbing a fancy bottle of wine, popping the top off, and pouring us each a hefty serving.  
“Why, thank you, sir!” I said as I took a swig. The sweet wine curled under my lips and sent goose bumps down my spine as I immediately savored the taste.  
“To us?” He said, lifting his flute of wine before putting it to his lips.  
“To us.” I replied, clinking my glass against his.

I couldn’t take the anticipation any longer as I admired the dish in front of my eyes. I twirled the spaghetti on my fork like the perfect Italian and shoved the ball of noodles in my mouth. I moaned as I chewed.

“Daaamn, baby. Now I see why you don’t have a personal chef!”  
He chuckled as he sawed off a piece of chicken, “Thank you! I made the sauce by hand too. Screw that Prego shit.”  
“Ahh, did someone Google a recipe for this occasion?”  
“No, actually! I called my ma up and asked for hers. Hopefully I’d make her proud.”  
“Well, you definitely have. This is exceptional, honey.”

The night was like a dream and I wanted desperately to be pinched. We ate and talked in between savory bites of chicken and pasta. It felt warm and right. Being with him…in this way…well…it felt like home.

The conversations were ongoing as we let our tummies rest after the most incredible dinner. A few good minutes had passed, when a lull caused me to get up and clean off the table. I stood and took the dishes in each hand, walking them over to the sink and turning on the faucet with my elbow.

“Oh nonono ya don’t. C’mere, silly. I can do the dishes later.” He said, motioning over to me.

I came over to meet him and he instantly took my hand in his and twirled me under his arm. His feet shuffled gently as he dipped my body downward.  
“Can I have this dance, m’lady?” He asked, looking down at me, my hand cupped in his.  
“Right now?”  
“No, in the next hour-YES, NOW.” He exclaimed, throwing his head back in laughter.

I rolled my eyes as I snuck my arms around his neck, swaying my hips gently to the hum of the guitar.  
“What is this music anyway?”  
Chris shrugged, “I just typed ‘Italian romance music’ into a search engine and this is what I got.”  
I laughed, pressing my nose against his, rubbing it back and forth.  
“I’m dating a complete and utter DORK.”  
“Hey now, as I recall, you 'like me', remember?” He pointed out, a small smirk occupying his lips.

I leaned down, my ear resting against the center of his chest. I could hear the gentle beat of his heart, strong and comforting, a lullaby over the music. We continued to stay like that for a while as we danced, his cheek pressing against my forehead as he closed his eyes and smiled.

“I can hear your heart.” I noted softly as I counted each beat and allowed it to put me at peace.  
He held me closer to him, placing a hand against my head, pressing it even closer to it.  
“Oh yeah? And what’s it saying?”  
I waited a moment before responding, smiling as his heart picked up speed as I mentioned it. I looked up, placing my chin against him as I fluttered my lashes.  
“It says ‘I like you too’.”  
"Well," He said, placing his thumb under my chin, "It certainly wouldn't be wrong."

I pressed my palm against his cheek, my eyes turning into slits as he drew me nearer.  
"It also says 'I could toootally use a little makeout session right about now'."  
Chris chuckled, his breath hitching for a short moment before saying, "What can I say? It has a mind of its own."


	23. Mr. Chris Evans

It had been about a month after the Endgame premier. Chris was hopping back and forth between family time and work time. A majority of my time was spent juggling work and my newfound relationship. As schools were closing for the summer, the diner got busier, which meant that the boss felt the need to beat us into submission more so than usual.

One night, after working what seemed to be the longest day in all of my existence, Chris shot me a text in the last hour of my shift.

**Care for company?**

I furrowed my brow at my phone, as if sending my expression over to him.  
Before I even had the chance to reply, I heard the cowbell attached to the front door ring as someone entered the building. My head popped up. There he was.  
I gasped lightly, scurrying over to meet him.

“Christopher Robert Lemons, what in the Hell are you doing here??” I asked in a hushed tone as to not draw attention to us, or more importantly, to him.  
He looked down at me, a goofy smile plastered on his face as he tilted his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose, “I came to visit my girlfriend, silly!” He practically boasted.  
“Geez, could you be any louder?? I’m still on the clock. Joe will kill me if he sees me chatting it up over here.”  
“Ahhhh,” Chris voiced, sticking his hands in his pockets.  
I smiled sweetly, my eyes softening as I looked up at him, “It’s seat yourself. I’ll take you over in the booth area.”

Chris placed a hand against my waist, stroking a thumb underneath my apron. I quickly swatted his hand away, he chuckled in response. I rolled my eyes and nodded towards the tables, signaling him to go and sit.

After grabbing my pad and pen, I made my way over to him in the way back of the restaurant.  
“Okay, mister. What would you like to drink?”  
“Hmmm…” He said, rubbing his palm across his bearded face, “Well, I am rather THIRSTY.”  
I snickered at his remark, hanging my head to hide the blush that was creeping up on me, “Okay, jackass. Your DRINK, please?”  
He looked up at me and smirked, “I’ve got a tall glass of water standing right in front of me, don’t I?”  
I laughed fully now, slapping a hand against my cheek, “Christopher, stop it!"  
“Okay, okay! Um. Rootbeer, please.”  
“Gotcha, I’ll be right back!” I said with a perfect server smile.

As I walked behind the counter to fill Chris’ drink, I was grabbed at the shoulder by Denise, who nearly shook the glass right out of my hand.  
“Jesus H, am I having a stroke right now or is that REALLY Chris Evans in booth 9?”  
I spun around to look at her. Her eyes were wide and the expression on her face was like a small child waiting to unwrap presents on Christmas morning.  
My eyes rolled to the back of my head, barely giving it a second thought, “Yesss. The one and only.”

Denise gasped, a hand coming to slap against her lipsticked lips.

“D, dear God, please don’t make a scene!”  
“Holy SHIT, P. He’s actually HERE. In the same BUILDING as me. God, I never thought I’d see the day.” She said, practically bouncing on her toes.  
I grabbed a quick hold of her arm, stopping her from doing something outrageously stupid in a moment of fangirl weakness, “Denise. I’m serious. Please leave him alone. There’s barely anyone in here as it is, but the INSTANT someone recognizes him, this place will be a MADHOUSE and he’ll have trouble getting out.”

Denise’s shoulders instantly slumped, but she understood what I was getting at and nodded her head. I finished filling Chris’ drink and came back over to him.  
“Here you areee…” I said warmly, leaning across the booth.

As I did so, my tits accidentally pressed against the table; candy right in front of his eyes.

Chris looked down at them and then back up at me, “Is this the complimentary treatment…?” He asked, a single brow pulling back and forming a wicked arch.  
I pulled back quickly, covering my chest with my hand, my cheeks burning brightly at the inflection in his voice. He chuckled as I did so.  
“You’re CRAZY.” I exclaimed.  
“About the beautiful woman in front of me.” He hit me again, the sexual expression on his face altering in front of my eyes. He smiled a closed-mouth smile, his eyes turning into puddles I could practically drown in.

It never occurred to me that my best friend could look at me with hearts for pupils, but it seemed as if Janny and Carly were right all along. It was natural for him to look at me like I meant more to him, like I set his soul on fire and made his stomach turn to mush. Needless to say, he did the same to me.

“What will you be havin’ to eat, babe?”  
“You.” He responded simply, his eyes now turning into perfect, tantalizing slits.

This man could flip a switch in an instant. I guess this is what you get when you date an actor, huh?

I choked on my own inhale of breath as he spoke.

“GOD DAMN IT, CHRIS. FOOD.”

Chris thought his flirtatiousness was the epitome of hilarity, so he slapped his hand across his chest as he laughed, throwing his head back against the seat cushion. I rolled my eyes, my pen and pad patiently waiting to be used.

“Okay, okay! I apologize. I was having way too much fun there. I’ll have the classic bacon cheeseburger. Medium rare, please.”  
“Onion rings okay with that?”  
“Uh. Duh.” He said, slapping the menu closed and handing it over to me.  
I snickered, “Alright, princess. Should be up in a few.”

Before I turned my back, Chris grabbed a quick hold of my hand.

“Hey, when you’re free, I have somethin’ to talk to you about.”  
“Good or bad?”  
“Good.” He said with a warm smile, “VERY good.”

I smiled back at him, getting lost in his baby blues for far too long. They were the ultimate thirst trap, and I wanted desperately to rip off my work clothes and drink him in.

After putting in his order, I slouched down, my elbow against the counter and my head in my hand. The area behind the counter gave me the perfect view of Chris as he sat alone. He caught my eye a few times and smiled back at me in response to my girlish gawking.

Suddenly, I felt a presence next to me and a hand came to snap right in front of my face.  
“Earth to Paige!”  
I pulled myself out of my daydream and looked up to see Denise.  
“Sorry…lost in thought…”  
“Lost in loveee…” She sang.  
I hit the back of my hand against Denise’s shoulder as she crouched down next to me.  
“Stop ittt.”  
She straightened up, shaking her hips a little, “Oh, you know it’s true.”  
I scoffed, “We’ve been together for a little less than a month and the ‘L-word’ hasn’t even come up.”  
Denise threw her hands up, “Well, maybe that’s your problem!”  
“No way. Too soon.” I stated simply.  
“Okay, cheeky. At least make it look like you’re doing something while you’re at it though. Don’t want you gettin’ hollered at.”  
I nodded, agreeing with her, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Chris’ food was ready in a flash, so I was quick to make my way back to him, warm burger platter in hand.  
“Here you go! It smells delicious. I might have to grab me one of these before I head out.” I said, flicking my tongue over my bottom lip.  
“Looks great too!” He said, rubbing his hands together, eager to chow down.

I turned my head both ways, checking my surroundings for signs of the boss before sliding in the booth right in front of him.  
“So. What was it you wanted to talk about?” I asked, folding my hands together.  
He took a savory bite of his burger and wiped his mouth before speaking, “Oh! So, I had this thought.”  
“A thought? How unlike you!”  
He shot daggers my way, “Do you ever let me speak?” He asked.  
I giggled, reaching across the table to stroke the long sleeve of his shirt, “I’m sorry, my sweet Chrissy. Please go on.”  
He rolled his eyes, taking my hand in his and popping an onion ring in his mouth with the other.  
“So, I was thinkin’ that you and I should go-“

Our conversation was immediately cut short by a body looming over us. A young girl, most-likely in her late teens, came over to the table. I quickly pulled my hand back and bit down on the soft skin of my lip nervously as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

“H-hi…um…can I get a picture with you?” She asked, nodding towards Chris, “I-I’m a HUGE fan.”  
Chris’ smile was warm with delight and his eyes were bright as stars, “Of course you can!”  
The young girl turned to me.  
“Would you mind taking it?” She asked, her voice small.  
I smiled sweetly, “No, not at all!” I said, taking the camera from her shaking, sweaty hand.

The mystery girl got close to Chris and he put his arm around her shoulder, practically pulling her into the booth next to him.

“Smile!” I exclaimed, positioning the camera just right.  
“Oh my gosh. Thank you SO much!” She exclaimed, taking the phone from me, nearly in tears over her little encounter.  
“You’re very welcome.” He said, nodding her way.

Just as I had expected, one fan led to a couple of others, each asking for me to take their pictures with the man in front of me. Each time I agreed, but as they kept on coming, I began to feel awkward.

“Uhh. Do you need to call Tanya or something?” I asked between a sudden lull in picture-taking.  
“Nahh, I should be good. I think I’ve pretty much said my hellos to everyone in this place anyway, and you know I don’t mind the fans. It’s pretty late, so I doubt I’ll draw a crowd at this point.” He said as he polished off his onion rings.

I shot up suddenly, realizing that I had practically taken a ten minute break from my work without being told I could.  
“Shhhit on a stick. I have to get back to work, hon. I’m sorry.” I said, quickly brushing off my apron.  
“Fuck. I'm sorry for keeping you, babe. Remind me to tell you the thing before I leave!” He noted.  
“Yes! Definitely!”

I practically jogged over to the waitress station. I bent down, messed up the take-out containers, and put them back together again to make it seem like I was heavily occupied.

"Huh. I didn't know we were getting paid to hang out with celebrities over there. I would've called up Robert Downey Junior had I known." Denise snarkily commented as she fairy fluttered past me.  
I looked up from my work and shot her the finger. She laughed.  
"Also. I just organized those, so you deeefinitely just messed them up again to look like you were doing something. I know alllll the tricks, my dear!"

A few minutes had past when I realized that Chris was sitting with an empty plate on his table. I walked back over to him.

"Damn. That burger didn't stand a CHANCE." I said, my eyes scanning circles over the empty plate, sporting nothing more than a few ketchup stains and sesame seeds.

Chris leaned back in his seat, extending his belly outward and placing his hands over top of it.  
"Yeah, it was really-HIC." His shoulders shook as he failed to stifle a hiccup.  
"It was really phenomi-HIC."  
"Pheno-HIC."  
"PHENOMINAL." He shouted, finally getting the word out.  
I laughed, scrunching my nose a little, "You dork, eat slower next time."  
"I like a good challenge." He said, running his hand over his shirt, allowing a few more hiccups to escape him.  
"Well, I have a few minutes to chat before I get snagged, so you better make this quick. What did you wanna talk about?" I asked, leaning my hand on the table, my ear in his direction.  
"Right. Okay. So."

Just then, I felt another presence loom right behind me, but this time, it wasn't a sweet fangirl waiting to be noticed...it was-

"Mr. Chris Evans! It’s VERY nice to meet you. I'm Joseph McGill, the owner of this establishment." The man said, extending a hand over to meet Chris who, I'm sure, had the hiccups scared right out of him.

Big 'ol Joe. The boss man. What an UNPLEASANT surprise.

"It's good to meet you, sir." Chris said in response, taking the stranger’s hand with a bit of hesitation.

"I saw you were causing quite the commotion, drawing a bit of attention from fans, it seemed. An HONOR to have someone of your status here with us this evening. Thank you for stopping by." He said with a glorious inflection in his voice.

Joe meant well, I'm sure he did, but he was the kind of guy that felt the need to put emphasis on the fact that he owned a restaurant. Like. This, to him, was the peak of his very existence. This was his award-winning musical and he was the leading man.

Chris straightened up his posture, seeming to gain a bit of confidence. I could tell he had a little something up his sleeve due to the expression on his face. He cleared his throat before monologueing.

"Well, your food is fantastic and the service here is even better! This waitress, Paige, I think her name is? She was INCREDIBLE. Quick on her feet, wonderfully kind, and didn't even seem to mind serving a celebrity." He said with a one-thousand watt smile, shooting a wink my way.

Joe looked over at me, eyes wide, and placed a hand lightly over my shoulder.

"Ahhh, well, Paige really is one of our best." He said, the corners of his lip turning upright.

Did he just... _smile_ at me?? This was new and QUITE alarming, but Hell, I'll take what I can get!

"That she is." Chris stated, his smile warming as his eyes looked right through me.

"Yeah, well, you should be getting back to work, shouldn't you, Paige? Wouldn’t wanna be caught taking breaks when you’re not supposed to, or chit chatting instead of doing some much-needed side work." The man noted, his voice becoming suddenly very brittle.

I knew that little moment just a second ago would be about as short-lived as a China plate in a shop with a bull passing through.

I smiled, despite the discomfort and nodded, “Yes, boss. I’ll get right on it.”  
Joe turned his attention back to Chris and let his voice sweeten, “Very good, Paige. Chris, it was a real pleasure."

Joe gave Chris a manly pat on the back as the two said their goodbyes. As I slowly began to walk away from them, I turned to look over my shoulder, smirked, and spoke in the most teasing manner I could muster.

“I’ll see you around, _Mr. Chris Evans_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, my hiatus was VERY brief, and not much of a hiatus at all, but it was necessary to get the ball rollin' again. I'm working on both stories now, writing a whole bunch of different chapters for each one. I've found that it's been SUPER therapeutic for me to write two stories with opposite tones at the same time, and I'm beginning to enjoy it more and more each day!  
> -Kxx


	24. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Added chapter!!!

Hey, all! MAJOR PSA. I placed a NEW CHAPTER in between Game of Phones and Mr. Chris Evans. I wanted to go more into the development of their romantic relationship, so if you're into that (which, I'm SURE you are), go and check that out!!!  
-Kxx


	25. From Boston to Florida

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see, friends! This month, I decided to take a MAJOR break from writing. Ideas were beginning to feel too forced, and as you know, I'm a sucker for perfection and I never wanna post something that's half-assed. Thank you ALL for your patience! Stay tuned for more!  
> \- K xx

“Pack your bags! We’re going on a vacation!” Chris said to me when he entered my apartment early Friday morning.

I was still half asleep when I answered the door, but my brain was instantaneously caffeinated with what met me at the front door.

“We WHAT?” I asked rather loudly, my eyes shooting into perfectly rounded circles.  
“Vacation!” He exclaimed like a small child, dropping a large suitcase at his feet and spreading his arms out wide, “A long weekend with yours truly!”

I ran my fingers through my knotted bed head of hair as my eyes darted around the room.

“Dude. How in the Hell am I supposed to pack for a weekend trip that I didn’t even know I was going on?? I haven’t even done my week’s worth of laundry! Who’s gonna feed Peanut Butter??”  
Chris chuckled, grabbing a gentle hold of both of my hands to steady my nervous energy.  
“Calm down, jumping bean. I’ve already talked to your mom about it, she’ll watch the cat. It doesn’t take that long to do a few loads of laundry, so we can leave whenever you’re ready.”  
I leaned the side of my face against his pec as he swayed me back and forth. I sighed, automatically comforted by our closeness. I looked up at him, my chin against his body.  
“I tried to ask you at work, but shit kept getting in the way, so I figured, fuck it, I’m just gonna surprise her!”  
“You planned this all for us?” I asked sincerely.

Chris leaned down and pressed a warm, lingering kiss against the center of my forehead. His lips felt like butter and I savored the feeling.

“Of course, hon! I figured we’ve both been pretty busy lately. I asked your mom about your work schedule, and she said you wouldn’t be working today, Monday, OR Tuesday, so I was thinkin’ this would be the perfect time to spend another long weekend together.”  
I grabbed a tight hold of Chris’ waist, squeezing so much so that my hands touched around the back of him.  
“This is the best news EVER. Thank you thank you THANK YOU. UGH. You have no idea how badly I've needed this.” I exclaimed, smushing my face into his chest.  
He laughed and I could feel the vibration of it through his body. I pulled away to look at him again.  
“Where are we going? What are we doing? Will there be a BEACH??”  
He nodded between chuckles, “Yes, dear. A beach vacation. Ya know, I keep hearin' that Florida Keys is pretty great this time of year…”  
I gasped, my hands slapping against my cheeks like The Scream.  
“NO. WAY.”  
Chris bounced on his knees, imitating my excitement, “YES. WAY.”  
“OH MY GOD. I NEED TO PACK EVERY BATHING SUIT I OWN. THIS IS INCREDIBLE. WHAT IS MY LIFE?”  
He bent over in laughter, exclaiming as I scurried up the stairs, “Get to packing, silly!”

It took about a full hour before I finally decided that I had everything I would ever need for our little getaway. Chris had Scott drive us to the airport and the ride from Boston to Florida was long, but worth it. We arrived at the hotel resort a little after 3, meaning that we had more than enough time to enjoy the place before heading off to reservations that Chris had made for dinner.

The room he had us set up to stay in was unbelievable in every possible way. A gigantic, cushiony bed occupied the very heart of the room, pillows piled mountainously at the head of it. To the left, a bathroom built for five, a circular tub with jacuzzi settings right as you walked in, and in front of that, a shower with massage jets lining the walls. The balcony on the other side of the room hung right above the resort, giving us the perfect view of the crystal ocean.

As I took a grand tour through the room, my mouth stood wide open, unable to utter a single word as my eyes took in every small detail. I opened the double doors to the balcony and my nose was immediately greeted by the warm, salty air. My curls spread like waves in the breeze, imitating the ocean as I dipped my head back and shut my eyes. Everything about this screamed perfection. It almost felt too damn good to be true.

I grabbed the rail and let my eyes flutter open.

“Chris…oh my God…are you KIDDING me right now? This place…it’s-“  
Chris came up behind me as I looked out, snaking his arms gently around my body and speaking right into my ear, “Beautiful? Amazing? All you could ever want and more?”  
I exhaled a laugh, placing my hands over the top of his on my stomach as his husky voice tickled the hairs on my neck, “Try all three, doofus.”

I looked up at him and his eyes caught mine instantly, drawing me in. He placed a hand to my face and stroked the apple of my cheek with the pad of this thumb. His eyes were even bluer in this light for some reason and it was painfully irresistible.

“I could say all three about you, ya know?”  
I scoffed, “Yeah, right.”  
He leaned closer, tilting my chin up to meet his lips. I savored the sweet taste of his skin like it was liquor, pressing mine into his eagerly.  
When we finally pulled away, I sighed deeply, “Wanna know something?”  
“Hit me, baby.”  
“When we went to the premier together and we shared that little moment in the hallway...a large part of me wanted it to end like that.”  
The smile on his face grew quickly, “Like what?” He asked.  
A hand came to find its way to the back of his neck as I pulled him in for another kiss. This time, my tongue ran along his bottom lip. He moaned, exhaling at my touch.  
I pulled back and smiled, stars in my eyes, “Like THAT.”

After spending some time in the comfort of the air conditioning, we decided to venture out to the pool before dinner. I slid on a sexy, red one-piece that had cutouts all along the sides, while he donned a pair of blue swim trunks. We got to the most private area of the pool and set our bags and towels down. I slid the beachy pullover I was wearing off of my body and flung it over to him, hitting him square in the face with it.

“Va va voom!” I burst out, placing my rose gold sunglasses over my eyes and striking a confident pose with my hand in the air.  
Chris smiled as he slid his shirt off and threw it at me, “And you say I’M the dork.”  
I sauntered over to him, lengthening my legs and shooting finger guns his way, “Hey, baby. Come here often?”  
His eyebrows wiggled, placing his hands behind his head and flexing his biceps hard, “Only when I know the GUN show is in town.”  
A strong laugh escaped my throat, “You’re HORRIFIC.”  
“C’mon, Pages. You can’t say you don’t enjoy it.”  
“Eh. I’ve seen better. Oh! You know that Hemmsworth guy?”  
Chris tilted his head, his eyes turning dark as he spoke with edge, “Excuse me?”  
“Ohhh, Chris Hemmsworth. He’s OBVIOUSLY the BEST Chris. No contest there.”  
“Righttt…” He noted, playful anger bubbling up and nearly boiling over.  
“Ya know, he must work out an AWFUL lot. His biceps are like two BIG chunks of Easter ham. He’s honestly probably bigger than any other guy named Chris that I know.” I said with a smirk as I knowingly tested his patience.  
“Okay, smarty, I’m gonna give you a solid minute to rethink what you just said.” He said, placing his hands against the curve of his hips.  
“Nahhh. I think I’ll stand by my original statement, thank you very much!” I piped up with a cheesy grin, my eyes squinting.  
“Huh,” Chris voiced simply, inching closer to me and backing me up right up against the edge of the water, “Suit yourself!”

Without a second thought, his arms snuck around me, and the two of us were launched in the deepest end of the pool.  
When I came up for air, I took a bit of water into my chipmunk cheeks and spat it back out at him.  
“You ass! What if I had drowned??”  
Chris swam over casually and chuckled lightly, “Don’t worry, I would’ve given you mouth to mouth.”  
I dunked my hair into the chilly pool water and massaged it through my scalp.  
“Do you just have a series of terribly cheesy lines written down somewhere that I don’t know about?”  
“Well, to be fair, I’ve been in enough romcoms. I sorta just take from them and roll with it.”  
“Huh…could you ‘do this all day’…?” I asked, emphasizing his most famous line. The line that, no doubt, was permanently ingrained in my brain.  
“If I had a dollar for every time I heard THAT one…” Chris said with a chuckle, splashing water my way.  
I shook the water from my eyes, splashing him back, “Oh, shut up. You’re already rich. Like you NEED more dollars.”

After some much-needed swim and lounge time by the pool, the two of us got showered and ready to go to a nice dinner. Chris had reserved spots at the hotel resort’s most popular eatery, a gourmet seafood buffet. We piled our plates with grilled tuna, cooked to perfection, fried coconut shrimp, and bottomless roasted vegetables. By the end of it, we hardly had enough room for dessert.

The two of us made our way back to our room, where I immediately changed into something much comfier. Chris was lying with his back against the bed, an arm lazily hanging behind his head as he flipped through channels on the TV.

“You and those damn Nemo pjs.” He muttered as I made my way out of the bathroom.  
“Heard that, genius.” I noted, shaking my hair loose from its long, tight ponytail.  
“You’re ALWAYS wearing those things.” He said, pushing himself up as he continued to stare.  
“Well, duh, they’re my faves! In fact, if I correctly recall, you DID agree with the fact that they make my butt look nice."  
Chris groaned, his eyes doing a complete 360 around the room.  
“And that, RIGHT THERE, is the issue!" He exclaimed, smacking his hands square against his face.  
“You’re such a GUY.” I said between laughs.

As I brushed by him, he got up without a warning, a strong hand coming to slap against the very center of my ass. I gasped, grabbing a quick hold of his advancement in response.  
“Hey!” I shouted as I gripped onto his fingers, gaining laughter from his end.  
"Waaat?" He voiced warmly, faking innocence.

My hands found their way to his face, squishing his cheeks inward as I opined, "You can look, but ya can't touch!"


End file.
